White People Celebrating Black History Month? Part 2: Equity In History And Culture
By: Alexandra James-Okochi, Chief Program Officer
Equity, cultural humility, white privilege, and structural racism have all emerged as “hot topics” in our national narrative—especially in family-serving organizations, academia, and progressive, local, and state governments. While this is admirable and certainly needs to be addressed and transformed into actionable policy changes, organizational norms/practices, and individual accountability, it is crucial to take a critical view of how some of these conversations are surface level, transmitting “flavor-of-the-month” energy and lip service participation. As I thought about what to write for this blog as an African American woman, I contemplated my observations and the implications for Black History month, white allies, and white people who haven’t yet grown into white allies.
It is beautiful to see more white people honoring African American culture beyond our many contributions to music, sports, and the landscape of this country, as well as beyond “safe” African American historical figures; however, we must look back on the origin of Black History Month and why it was needed in the first place. Dr. Carter G. Woodson (the “Father of Black History”) was one of the first scholars to study and write about the history of people of African descent in America and throughout the African Diaspora. Being the second African American after W. E. B. Du Bois to earn a PhD from Harvard University, Dr. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915 and, a year later, began to publish the scholarly Journal of Negro History.
For the next 10 years, Dr. Woodson researched and wrote several publications chronicling African American history. In 1926, he created “Negro History Week” and deemed that the second week of February was the time for celebration. This selection was very intentional, as it coincided with both Abraham Lincoln’s and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays. Dr. Woodson saw the negative impact of our history not being researched and documented, as well as its implications on the psyche of people of African descent in America and around the world. He later expounded on this in his book The Mis-Education of the Negro, published in 1933, where he wrote:
“No systematic effort toward change has been possible, for, taught the same economics, history, philosophy, literature and religion which have established the present code of morals, the Negro’s mind has been brought under the control of his oppressor. The problem holding Negro down, therefore is easily solved. When you control a man’s thinking you don’t have to worry about his actions. You don’t have to tell him not stand here or yonder. He will find his ‘proper place’ and will stay in it. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut on for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.” (Dr. Carter G. Woodson, The Mis-Education of the Negro, page 4)
The unfortunate truth that illustrates the ongoing marginalization of African American history and culture is that Negro History week took 50 years to be recognized by the American government. It was extended to the entire month in 1970—not by the dominant culture, but by African American educators at Kent State University. It wasn’t until 1976 that President Gerald Ford celebrated the month as a part of the United States’ Bicentennial. During the Bicentennial, President Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
I shared this (very brief) history of Black History Month because its creation and celebration are an example of the level at which society and the current conversations around equity should discuss the historical and current cultural norms and their social, political, and economic ramifications. Black History Month was birthed out of oppression, historical justification, and the need to reorder and rewire the legacy of slavery that brainwashed many black and white people to think in a narrow historical box of recounted “acceptable and comfortable” people and events in American history and of African people around the world. In order to bring balance and equity in our society, the narrative of African American history cannot begin with slavery and then jump right to the Civil Rights movement. There must be serious study and dialogue about the many contributions of African American scientists, engineers, philosophers, historians, sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, and activists.
It is imperative for white people who call themselves allies to not just celebrate Black History at a perfunctory level—or, only in February. For this reason, we'll be extending the conversation through this blog into March.