“I don’t want a Black History Month. Black history is American history.” -Morgan Freeman

‘Why is Black History Month even celebrated?’ ‘History is History. Why a whole month for one race?’ ‘Why teach Black history rather than American history?’

Black History Month is a time for education, as well as a reflection on our privileges and societal advantages. There are many historical figures and events that are not covered in your average history class and being further informed on the past narratives of the people around you, can help you understand their stories more than you ever could’ve imagined. February is more known for its abundance in hearts rather than history. Valentine’s day is a popular, money-making, holiday full of love for your family, friends, and partners. Black History Month is a time to have those uncomfortable conversations that might not be all happy and lovely. Familiarizing yourself with the different types of people around you and their histories will only bring us closer to social equality and self-awareness. Living in Miami or South Florida comes with its gene pool full of diversity. The majority of the people around you are Hispanic or Latino, most of African, Indigenous, and/or European descent. Being historically and socially uninformed is an ongoing trend in the Hispanic/Latino community and flipping the script on generational ignorance starts with you.

“We intend to expand [the freedom struggle] from the level of civil rights to the level of human rights.” -Malcolm X

The History Behind this Month

The first Black History ‘month’ was celebrated in the year 1926, originally only lasting a week but later being lengthened to a month-long period in order to “extend and deepen the study and scholarship on African American history.” Historian Carter G. Woodson-along with the Association of African-American Life and History-enforced the first Black History Week with the original intentions being to inform young, Black students about the African diaspora. This week was chosen to encompass President Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass’ [he was an escaped slave who is most known for his work in slave abolition and social reform. He was also the first Black, vice president nominee] accomplishments and brought light to their names and everything they did for the African-American community.

Of course, the first actual Black History Month was in 1970 and did not come without controversy. A lot of white people [or non-Black folk] could not grasp the concept of one month of long-overdue educational reparations for Black people and actually refused to allow their children to be taught African-American history that wasn’t already white-washed. In the 70s, President Ford stressed the importance of acknowledging the neglect towards African-American history and their contributions to the building of America and deemed it an official national holiday.

‘How can one truly learn American history without Black history?’ is a concept not many understood and that many still don’t understand today. The majority believe that gaining racial equality means giving every race identical treatment when in reality, it is so much more. It isn’t as common anymore for students to be allowed to opt-out of Black History Month, but it is still a problem among certain predominantly white school districts that are rooted in racism or prejudice against their Black students. 

“A man without knowledge of himself and his heritage is like a tree without roots.” -Dick Gregory

Why is there so much controversy?

Misunderstandings. Misunderstandings along with very common misconceptions about the holiday. The notion that just because there is a month dedicated to learning Black history undermines every other race, ethnicity, culture, heritage, etc. 

In South Florida, it’s very common to partake in Hispanic Heritage Month [starts Sep. 15 and ends Oct. 15] and appreciate the cultures of all other Spanish-speaking countries. That month does not take away from National Military Appreciation Month [observed through the month of May], in the same way, that it doesn’t take away from Asian-American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month [also observed through the month of May] and so on. These are times to sit down and listen to one another. Listen to Black voices during Black History Month, listen to Hispanic voices during Hispanic Heritage Month, and so on. 

So many disputations and debates surrounding a time where, as people, we should be listening and engaging. Learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks is a given. They were considered the peaceful end of the activism stick, while Malcolm X, Sojourner Truth, and Stokely Carmichael are arguably on the other end. Why is it deemed ‘racist’ because it solely focuses on the distinct history of African-Americans rather than what’s already talked about year-round? 

The controversy around something that is necessary for progressivity in society is redundant. Listening and understanding one another is the best thing we can do, disagreements and misunderstandings aside. 

“Won’t it be wonderful when black history and Native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S history is taught from one book. Just U.S history.” -Maya Angelou

What can you do?

1. Take the time out of your day to learn one new thing every single day of February. It costs you no money to learn about historical figures and events. Looking into things that you find interesting, such as famous athletes, authors, or directors could help gain traction for the community. For all you know, you might end up being really interested in the diverse and all-encompassing history and knowledge of African-Americans.
2. Stay informed. Keep up with the media on feats for the Black community. In the same way that we keep up with who won yesterday’s soccer game, we can keep up with the movements, accomplishments, and changes within the Black community. Being an active member of such a diverse society comes with staying up to date on the happenings in those communities around us.
3. Keep an open mind. Being close-minded is what initially caused the controversy towards this month. What’s learning about the contribution of one race to the United States rather than how the others contributed and were affected as well? Being open to learning new things about other races, ethnicities, and cultures will only benefit you.
4. Spread the word. Educate your family, friends, and peers on the importance of education. An accurate education on the historical significance of Black History Month and everything it encompasses. Being an ally and actively having the conversations that no one else has, you’re breaking the cycle and making a change. The change may be small, but it’s better than staying silent and oblivious to what happened in the past.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela

 Fast Black History

Mae Jemison.

She is most known for being the first Black woman in space and for her research while on her expedition. In 1992, she, along with 6 other astronauts, flew onto Endeavour to experiment on motion sickness and weightlessness. She excelled in Chemical Engineering and has her Bachelor’s in African-American studies. Jemison also earned her Doctorate in Medicine and won the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal for her outstanding feats in space. She is currently leading the 100 Year Starship project through DARPA, which works on getting astronauts to another star in 100 years. She no longer works as an astronaut, having resigned from NASA in the early 90s. Jemison now works to develop technology for third-world countries around the world. 

Spike Lee. 

He is one of the most famous African-American directors in the film industry. Lee has directed over 50 movies, some of them considered controversial by societal standards. He includes race relations and politically provoking issues in his films, such as a tribute to the arguably liberating activist in Malcolm X (1992) or the talk of Black actors receiving recognition on Walls of Fame in Do the Right Thing (1989). He talks about colorism in the Black community and how it especially affects young, Black women; he made a musical comedy exclusively surrounding this issue and it received phenomenal ratings. Spike Lee is no stranger to the prejudice within the community, and his accurate portrayals of these issues in the film have truly been eye-opening for many. 

Madam C.J Walker. 

Walker was the first Black woman to ever be a self-made millionaire. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, she created a homemade line of hair care products for Black people and their natural hair. She traveled through different parts of the country promoting her line and established her own factories to manufacture her products. She was also a philanthropist and social activist, having given the majority of her assets to orphanages, different organizations for colored women, and the NAACP. Before she passed away in 1919, she left the rest of her money to be given to other charities and old, Black folks’ homes. Her legacy does live on through Sephora, in which the majority still have her products and sell them to the public. 

Andrea Jenkins. 

She is most known for being the first transgender, black woman to be openly elected in public office. She has been involved in the Minneapolis city council since 2018 and is a writer/poet, as well as a transgender activist in Minnesota. She originally served for about 12 years in the city council before beginning work in the Trans Oral History Project for LGBT studies. She has her Bachelors in Human Services as well as her master’s in Community Development. It’s safe to say that she has paved the way for more Black and LGBT representation in public office and will most definitely continue breaking massive social barriers. 

The theme for Black History Month 2021 is The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity. Martin Luther King once said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” Use the remainder of this week to educate yourselves accordingly, be more aware of the people around you, and seek equality.