Black History Month

Beatriz Mueller
“Despite the profound change in race relations that has occurred in our lives, Carter G. Woodson’s vision for black history as a means of transformation and change is still quite relevant and quite useful. One thing has not changed. That is the need to draw inspiration and guidance from the past. And through that inspiration, people will find tools and paths that will help them live their lives. Black Resistance is the Journey towards Equality.” National Museum of African American History & Culture
This coming Saturday, February 1st, is the beginning of Black History Month. The theme for 2025 is African Americans and Labor. Stemming as the brainchild of the Harvard PhD Historian Carter G. Woodson and Minister Jesse E. Mooreland, they brought to fruition the idea of acknowledging and honoring Black history and Black achievements which were ignored and went unacknowledged in history books, education, and museums. They founded an association to research and promote Black life and history. In February 1926, Carter Woodson started Negro History Week to focus attention on teaching Black History in schools and soon, communities across the nation were inspired to start their own weeklong celebrations. Starting in 1976, U.S. President Gerald Ford designated February as Black History Month. And while we highlight Black History this month, we should highlight and teach Black History as our shared American history in the creation, building, and continuance of our nation. We recognize, acknowledge and honor the contributions as well as the struggles throughout history of Black People here in the United States. We must learn from the powerful leaders and activists how equality, equity, and justice can be and must be achieved. This month was chosen because Black communities had been celebrating both Abraham Lincoln’s and Frederick Douglass’s birthdays in mid-February since the late 1800’s. We must be intentional and active in continuing our own education, deepening our knowledge and commitment to racial equity and justice.
This coming Saturday, February 1st, is the beginning of Black History Month. The theme for 2025 is African Americans and Labor. Stemming as the brainchild of the Harvard PhD Historian Carter G. Woodson and Minister Jesse E. Mooreland, they brought to fruition the idea of acknowledging and honoring Black history and Black achievements which were ignored and went unacknowledged in history books, education, and museums. They founded an association to research and promote Black life and history. In February 1926, Carter Woodson started Negro History Week to focus attention on teaching Black History in schools and soon, communities across the nation were inspired to start their own weeklong celebrations. Starting in 1976, U.S. President Gerald Ford designated February as Black History Month. And while we highlight Black History this month, we should highlight and teach Black History as our shared American history in the creation, building, and continuance of our nation. We recognize, acknowledge and honor the contributions as well as the struggles throughout history of Black People here in the United States. We must learn from the powerful leaders and activists how equality, equity, and justice can be and must be achieved. This month was chosen because Black communities had been celebrating both Abraham Lincoln’s and Frederick Douglass’s birthdays in mid-February since the late 1800’s. We must be intentional and active in continuing our own education, deepening our knowledge and commitment to racial equity and justice.
Here are some activities that you can do to learn about Black History, Black Achievements, and Black Joy:
  1. Visit a Black or African American history museum
  2. Learn about Black music history by listening online. There are lots of ways to learn about and experience the power of Black American music online. One of the most extensive and free resources is the Black Music History Library. The compendium includes an array of Black music sources, with links to music samples, films, series, podcasts, as well as books and articles.
  3. Support Black-owned businesses and restaurants. Becoming a customer of local Black businesses helps protect livelihoods and supports Black entrepreneurs. If you aren't sure which businesses in your area are owned and operated by your Black neighbors, several resources can help. Start off by learning how to find Black-owned restaurants where you live. Support Black Owned uses a simple search tool to help you find Black businesses, Shop Black Owned is an open-source tool operating in eight US cities, and EatBlackOwned.com and EatOkra specifically helps people find Black-owned restaurants. Also, We Buy Black offers an online marketplace for Black businesses.
  4. Donate to Black organizations and charities: Here are some non-profit organizations advancing Black rights and equal justice and supporting Black youth:
 

5.     Attend local Black History Month events. There are both in person as well as virtual events you can participate in. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, is offering a handful of online Black History Month events throughout February.

  1. Watch Black history documentaries and movies. You can find movies and documentaries exploring the Black experience right now. PBS offers several free video documentary collections, which include smaller chunks of Black history for all ages. The collections include subjects like the Freedom Riders, the 1963 March on Washington and the Rise and Fall of Jim Crow.
  2. Find Black authors and stories for you and your family to read -- not only during Black History Month but all year round. So, where do we start? Your local library will have Black History Month collections for both adults and kids. Below, I’ve included some good reads.
  3. Dive deeper into Black history with online resources. You can find remarkable Black history collections on government, educational and media sites. One of the best is BlackPast.org, which hosts a large collection of primary documents from African American history, dating back to 1724.
 
Links for facts and history:
 
Some great children’s books:
28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World by Charles R. Smith Jr. and Shane W. Evans, ages 3-10
The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne by Lesa Cline-Ransome and John Parra, ages 4-8
The History of the Civil Rights Movement: A History Book for New Readers by Shadae B. Mallory, ages 6 to 9
Books for Adults:
1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History by Jeffrey C. Stewart
The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones
The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation by Anna Malaika Tubbs
Caste, The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
 
“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality…. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color.” -Malcom X
                                                                                                                 
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