Yes, you heard me right.

I have a beef with Black History Month and what I call the other ‘token’ holidays, such as International Women’s Day or Latin Heritage Celebration month. 

Black History Month’s origins dates back to the 1926 when a ‘Negro History Week’ was created by Dr. Carter D. Woodson to celebrate the history and achievement of black people. Dr. Woodson was an American historian, author, journalist born in the late 1800s from parents that were formerly enslaved, and went on to earned a Bachelor of Literature (BLitt), a Master of Arts (MA), and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in History from Harvard University. 

It’s not surprising that Dr. Woodson himself ran into numerous obstacles due to the color of his skin, which is still the norm for many today. His insight and the lifelong dedication to promote and educate people in Black History were brilliant and much necessary. 

Black history predates American history, and it is crucial to remember that Black history in the Americas did not start with the first slave ship that arrived here. The men and women who were brought here enslaved had centuries of their own culture and history, and brought that with them, even though they were forbidden to express it.

So you may be thinking, what’s the beef? Why should Black History Month go away?

Because 100 years ago, when Negro History Week was created, there was still some excuse to be isolating Black people’s achievements from history (yes, I mean it with a capital 'H'). It was roughly 50 years after the official end of slavery; the mindset was changing then, and we were learning to integrate as a multi-racial society. Or so I like to believe.

The problem is that we haven’t really evolved all that much in the last 100 years in terms of integrating Black history into history. In fact, lately, we have taken some big steps back in some places in the US, seeking to prohibit the teaching of Black history. Can you believe that?

I’m eager for a society in which history is everyone’s history, where gender and racial minorities enjoy equal opportunities and equal celebration. I may even dare to say that I am hungry for a society where we can all see ourselves in history, no matter if winner or loser, black or white, woman or man. At that time, we will no longer have a need for Black History Month.

So, now you are down with me, what can we do differently?

• Educate ourselves and our children! There are super fun books out there, and since kids might not learn about black history in school, it's up to us to guide them.
• Travel to places where black culture is prominent! Experience the food! Dive into the history of the place! 
• Learn to identify your biases; we all have them :)

Thank you for your attention, and until then, let’s bask in all the beautiful culture, music, food, and thoughts that our black community has to offer! Here are some books I love:

• I’m currently reading Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and the Unseen.
• I’ve been enjoying exploring the beautifully illustrated and photographed cookbook My Everyday Lagos: Nigerian Cooking at Home and in the Diaspora.
• I’m slowly learning about my biases, and this book, The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person," provokes a lot of thought.

Vanessa

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