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Black History Month: “The more voices, the more powerful the sound.”
Last night at the Grammys, during her acceptance speech for the Global Impact Award, Alicia Keys said, “The more voices, the more powerful the sound.” This struck me as an important perspective for us to utilize when it comes to our country’s history. To understand our history, we must truly see and listen to the experiences of all people. This month, we acknowledge, celebrate, and honor the contributions of Black people whose voices have been historically silenced or marginalized in the United States.
The origins of Black History Month reach back to September 1915 when Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moreland founded an organization committed to increasing awareness about the achievements of Black Americans. Because the United States was founded by white Europeans, our recorded history has predominately been written and taught from that perspective. This organization was dedicated to shining a light on the significant role Black Americans played in the creation of our nation. In 1926, February was chosen because it was the birth month for Fredrick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. This annual celebration gained momentum and spread across the country. However, it took five decades for the movement to reach a national level. In 1976, Black History Month was proclaimed a national heritage month.
For many years, the teaching and coverage of Black History has been centered around enslavement and the fight for Civil Rights. While those are significant pieces of Black lived experience in our country, they are not the complete picture. The focus on struggle and overcoming diminishes or outright ignores how Black people shaped the United States in a wide variety of social, political, and cultural roles. Let us take time this month to learn the names, accomplishments, and contributions of Black Americans who deserve to be known and remembered.
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