Celebrating Black History Month

Why Black History Month?

Black History Month started as an attempt to bridge the gap in the American school system, which neglected significant aspects of history regarding African Americans. The “Father of Black History” Carter G. Woodson, a passionate and brilliant historian, pushed for Negro History Week in 1926 in an effort to remedy the problem. It never gained much momentum until in 1969 the Black United Students and Black educators at Kent State University proposed Black History Month, and celebrated it for the first time in 1970.

The first Negro History Week was celebrated the second week of February because it has both Fredrick Douglass’s and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays.

Schools across the nation adopted it, and it remained purely an education institution celebration until six years later. President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month during the United States Bicentennial telling Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history” and it was met with enthusiastic response. Since then, Black History Month has erupted out of the education system and has flowed into all parts of our lives. The Wall Street Journal described Black History Month in 2020 as “a time when the culture and contributions of African Americans take center stage” in the theaters, museums, and especially corporate America.

What should we do this month?

Let’s dedicate our free time this month to dig into the vibrant and impressive history of our fellow African Americans who deserve recognition for their efforts. There are many people whose courage, intelligence, and creativity are often lost from the spotlight, but are integral parts of our story. We can all learn something new about our past, and celebrate all of the achievements and progress made. We should carry this knowledge with us beyond this month and into the future.

History should be learned in the hopes of making a better future, to repeat the good actions and leave bad behavior in the past.

Through the retelling of history it can become distorted, and is usually done by the one who is retelling it. We should aim for a well-rounded account of events, using memoirs, biographies, documentaries, and other authentic sources. We need to act as our own investigators to find the truth,
no matter what.

The following section is a list of resources to inspire and jump start your journey through African American history and culture. Some are historical and some are works of art meant to capture and reflect the spirit of Black history.