say it loud, i’m black and i’m proud!
black history month started as negro history and literature week in 1920. in 1926 it was changed to negro history week. it was championed by Dr. Carter E Woodson, co-founder of the Association of the Study of Negro Life and History. Their goal was to “research and bring awareness to the largely ignored, yet crucial role black people played in American and world history.” this was done by providing learning material to teachers , black history clubs and the community. they staged plays, published photographs of important black people.
the month of february was selected by Woodson for Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas because of they impact they had on the lives of black Americans.
in the 70s, negro history week became black history month because the Black Power Movement worked to emphasis racial pride. The week was extended to a month.
black history month is now observed throughout America as well as in the united kingdom and south afrika.
in south afrika, we have been calling afrika history month. because we are concerned with more than the mind of the local black person.
afrika history month is important for every black person because it is one way to counter the type of education that black people are receiving in schools and in the media. this education only tells us one story – the story as written by the victors.
afrika history month is important because it aims to deal with black peoples sense of self. our history has long been distorted. we need to bring to light our own past greatness in order to validate our own present greatness and ensure that we believe in our future greatness. we are more than just an oppressed people. afrika history month is about restoring our pride.
afrika history month should be more than just a month. but we have to start somewhere. from a day to a week to a month to a year to a lifetime.
take time this month to search for afrikan stories that are more than just about being repressed, depressed and oppressed.
afrikan history month says to you there are successful black people out there. it reaches beyond Oprah, Obama and Motsepe. it tells us about people like Nina Simone, Harriet Tubman, Bhambatha, Sol Plaatje, Malcolm X, Nehanda and many many others…
black pride, black love, black unity!
young, gifted and black!
black is beautiful!
by remembering who we were, we realise that we can be more. check out my black list on pg 30