February is often celebrated as the month of love, but equally important, it is dedicated to the commemoration of Black History and the resilience of the Black community. If any community understands the significance of both celebration and love, it is the Black community.
While love is commonly understood as an emotionâa romantic and idealized connection with another individual, built on compassion and careâit holds a deeper, more profound meaning within the Black community. For the African diaspora, love transcends mere feeling or commitment. It represents joy, power, and unity. Black love is a testament to resilience, a celebration of overcoming adversity, and a privilege that should be honored. In this context, “Black love” is not only a personal choice of union but, in todayâs world, a radical and political statement.
For centuries, Black people have faced systemic dehumanization and oppression, their hopes and dreams systematically subjugated. However, our ancestors did not simply resist economic and political disenfranchisement; they fought for the right to love one another openly and freely. During the period of the American Slave Trade, Black codes not only prohibited enslaved African Americans from learning to read and write but also severely restricted their ability to form relationships. In 1858, the North Carolina Supreme Court declared, âA slave, being property, has not the legal capacity to make a contract…Consequently, the relationship of âman and wifeâ cannot exist among slaves.” From Massachusetts to California, Black codes across the United States emphasized the illegitimacy of Black marriages and the criminalization of Black love.
Despite the hardships and violence that plagued their lives, our ancestors remained capable of joy and practiced love. Even with the constant threat of separation through sale, illness, or violence, they engaged in acts of civil disobedience, protesting their persecution, and cementing their relationship vows by any means necessary. One such act was the practice of âJumping the broom,â which became a time-honored tradition for Black Americans and our weddings. While some historians state that the history of Jumping the broom predates the Antebellum South, it is clear that, for Black Americans, it became a powerful symbol of resilience. Regardless of its origins, the tradition signifies the ability to endure hardship and honors the vows of âfor better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in healthââvows that the Black community has truly come to understand in profound ways.
While every individual is entitled to love whom they choose, it is essential, particularly during Black History Month, to recognize the power and privilege of Black love. It is not only a source of strength and community but also a means through which the Black community has endured and thrived. Beyond romantic relationships this Black History Month is an opportunity to showcase our love and adoration to our families who forged bonds in daunting circumstances, our friends, a source of empowerment and compassion, and lastly lead to our entire community who deserves to be celebrated, acknowledged and honored. As Black History Month comes to an end, how will you show love?