Black History Month
February is Black History Month, thanks to Carter G. Woodson who encouraged and rallied for a full week celebration in February to honor tradition and reform. The original Black History Week took place the same week of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays. Mr. Woodson wanted to teach others about the important contributions made by other prominent Black individuals. Black Americans and descendants from African have made a large contribution to American History and deserve to be recognized and celebrated for their successful achievements and accomplishments. Black History is American History.
Now that we know how and why Black History Month started, here are some Black history stories I would like to share with all of you.
The first story is about Carter G. Woodson which begins in Chicago, Illinois at the beginning of Black History Week. Although the initial thought was to celebrate the fallen President, the celebrations that turned into gatherings disclosed faulty knowledge about what these men and their contributions actually were. His goal was to further expand and teach the knowledge of Black and African History. Mr. Woodson wanted the celebrations to also be about the black community and celebrating their contributions to the advancement of human civilization. History tells us Abraham Lincoln freed slaves. The truth is it was the Union Army which included thousands of Black soldiers and sailors that freed slaves. By 1950, Woodson was pushing for Black History to be taught yearly amongst the rest of American History. He feared things would change after his passing - the celebrations would diminish and lose focus. In 1976, 50 years after celebrating for a week, the association was able to make the change from one week to one month, changing the name to Black History Month. The association is now known as the “Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History” (ASALH).
The second story I want to share is about the modern world. The history we learned has tried to teach us that Europeans were interested in ties with Asia, but they were actually more intrigued and desired to create trading ties with legendarily rich Black societies hidden away in the heart of the “darkest '' West Africa. European expeditions were on the search for gold, which they found in Africa, that later helped them on their mission to discover Asia. Without the contribution of the African people to European and American societies, they would not be what they are today (The Guardian). Credit and teaching the proper education is what Black and African people have been wanting for centuries. It is important we do our part to educate ourselves.
The third story is about the National Anthem, not the one everyone learns to sing in school. I'm talking about the Black National Anthem, also called “Lift Every Voice and Sing” The song was written as a poem by author and activist James Weldon Johnson. His brother John Rosamond Johnson converted the poem into music. Mr. James wrote the song during a crucial time in Black History, the transition from slavery to Jim Crow and it was important for the Black communities to have something of their own to hold onto that represented their people (Education Through Music). In 1919 it became the official anthem of the NAACP and the song is still being played all over the world by musicians today.
We can learn so much from Black History! I encourage you all to research for yourself daily during the month of February to learn something new about Black History: I have attached additional resource links below as some recommended reads. It’s understandable if reading or listening will make you feel uncomfortable. Feelings will arise, name your feelings and give yourself gentle reminders about how important knowing true history is.
Additional Resources
~ 10 Facts for Black History Month
~ Boycotts, Movements and Marches
Written by
Cynthia Serna
Victim Advocate at Mutual Ground