Kevin Hart Starring in TV Special to Teach His Daughter and Others About Black History

Brian To / WENN

If Hidden Figures has reminded us of anything, it's that black people have made significant contributions to American history, and it's often swept under the rug. 

Sure, we learn about the important Civil Rights Movement and those leaders that worked towards the cause, Harriet Tubman, and other well known figures (all of whom are important, do not get me wrong!). But each year around Black History Month, those same leaders and figures are highlighted all the time through media, in school presentations, and the like. So we have a slanted view of all of the contributions that black people have made.

Kevin Hart is seeking to change that by starring in an upcoming TV special on black history! The special, Kevin Hart Presents: The Black Man’s Guide to History, will feature more hidden black figures that have made major impacts to society. 

The idea for the two-hour special came for Kevin as as a way to help his daughter, Heaven, learn about black history in America beyond what's typically taught in schools. Some of the stories highlighted include the stories of Matthew Henson, the first black man to go to the North Pole, Robert Smalls, a former slave who led a revolt to the Confederacy during the Civil War, Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut, and Henry “Box” Brown, a slave who remarkably mailed himself to a free state in a box. Definitely stories that you don't hear often, and I, for one, am so excited to watch!

“Not only is it entertaining, and it’s hysterical, but it also is an important program for our country right now. We hope to make people laugh and learn a bit too,” Kevin said of the special. The Black Man’s Guide to History will broadcast on the History Channel. An official air date has not been set, but I'm thinking some time in February for Black History Month. 

Will you be watching?