Apple celebrates Black History Month with watch, donation

February 14 is coming, and we all know what that means—it’s time to celebrate Frederick Douglass’s birthday. All right, there’s the other holiday on the Sage of Anacostia’s bornday: Valentine’s Day. Every February, it’s usually the same kind of gift: flowers, candy, cards, dinner reservations and what men consistently reveal they’d rather have on VDay instead of a tangible item. (Fun fact: Women want the latter, too, along with quality time.) But for those of you looking to do a little bit more to celebrate your significant other and Black History Month at the same time, Apple has a few ideas: a limited edition Black Unity Collection Apple Watch.

According to the official Apple site, the collection includes a limited-edition Apple Watch Series 6, the Black Unity Sport Band and a Unity watch face. A purchase of this watch also supports six global equality and civil rights organizations:

• Black Lives Matter Support Fund via the Tides Foundation
• European Network Against Racism
• International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights
• Leadership Conference Education Fund
• NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
• Souls Grown Deep

The Black Unity Sport Band has “Truth. Power. Solidarity.” laser-engraved onto the interior of the stainless steel fastening pin. The Pan-African flag is a combination of three colors: red for the blood that unites people of the African Diaspora and was shed for their liberation, black for the people, and green for the wealth of Africa, the Motherland. The Black Unity Sport Band is made from individual pieces of colored fluoroelastomer, assembled by hand and compression-molded. 

Apple is also offering other ways to celebrate Black History Month, including podcasts from former first lady Michelle Obama (a Spotify original) and rapper Joe Budden; “Seizing Freedom,” a show that documents finding freedom after 400 years of slavery; date night ideas from black-owned restaurants via EatOkra, a Black-owned business directory app; and a place to shop for plenty of black history reads in Apple Books.

While you’re perusing Apple for other ways to celebrate the Motherland, don’t forget about the Apple Watch Activity Challenge. This first-ever activity challenge, which starts on Feb. 1 and ends on Feb. 28, requires Apple Watch users to close their Move ring seven days in a row. If users complete the fitness feature requirements, they will be rewarded with an exclusive badge in the Activity app, as well as a few Black History Month stickers for use in Messages and FaceTime.