Welcome to Black History Month! What a complicated time we’re in. I want to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Black excellence and greatness, despite the blatant attempts to erase Black history and Black people from the larger American narrative.
I have always said Black history is American history. Our histories are inextricably linked. As my grandmother would say, “It’s a sin and a shame” more Americans do not know the larger story of America … the good, bad, horrific, and glorious.
As we worry about book bans in the 21st century, we must remember that the erasure of Black people and culture has always been part of the American project. There is a reason why most kids only know about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks from the civil rights era. It is by design that most schools mention watered-down versions of Frederick Douglass and Harriett Tubman. What about the thousands of other leaders who organized, mobilized Black people, dedicated and sometimes lost their lives in their quest for freedom and equality?
I recently wrote a book, “How to Build a Democracy,” about Fannie Lou Hamer, Barbara Jordan, and Stacey Abrams, and have been astounded at the number of people who have no clue about the contributions and organizing prowess of Fannie Lou Hamer or the legislative acumen and oratory skills of Barbara Jordan. People of all ages don’t know how these two women held presidents to account and changed the course of American history for the better … and these are just two of the names. There are thousands.
This Black History Month, we must take the time to educate ourselves and preserve our rich history. We must support Black-owned bookstores and Black authors. We must be sure to support institutions like the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem and the Brooklyn and Queens public libraries — institutions that are celebrating and educating their communities about Black history.
What is your plan for this February? Will you support the National Black Theatre and attending the four plays being staged this year? Will you donate to the Studio Museum so when they reopen in the fall, you can have your membership at the ready? Will you treat yourself to the talent at the Dance Theater of Harlem for their April show? If you can’t make it to Philly, will you go online and buy books and dope sweatshirts from Uncle Bobbie’s Bookstore?
However you choose to spend your Black History Month, be intentional about your dollars, your time, and the information you choose to digest. And as always, you can spend time researching and supporting Black candidates who are working diligently to make our cities and communities better places.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.
