February is recognized in America, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands as a designated month to educate and remind ourselves of the powerful, historic stories of resilience and individuals that have dedicated their lives to the liberation of the black community.
In this time of remembrance, we must also acknowledge today’s racial climate of our society and that the fight for civil rights is still well alive.
This month, and every month after that; it is important for all of us to honor and celebrate black lives and culture of the past and today, as we ALL wouldn’t be here without our descended black brothers and sisters.
Here are just a few ways you can celebrate Black History Month this year! (and the next year and the year after that, and the year after that and next month and the month after that…)
1.) REMEMBER THE UNSUNG HEROES.
Source: NPR
I bet most of us can recall our primary and secondary school lessons during Black History Month.We annually learned about the civil rights movement through only a selective handful of narratives with very little elaboration. For me, these included; the stories of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, the Jim Crow Laws, the boycotts, and the inhumane violence. And that’s it. Being intrigued by the subject since day one, I had the determination to self research and educate myself more through various books, videos and my community. Thus forth, some individuals learn the simplified and confined stories and that’s it. Fortunately, I have had the privilege to dive deeper into Africana Studies while attending a Liberal Arts university. It is our duty to spread the stories of the thousands of unsung heros and events that have gone unrecognized and give them the light they deserve. Ignorance is not bliss.
Take a second and REALLY read up on the TRUTHS of…
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Mumia Abu-Jamal
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Tupac Shakur
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Angela Davis
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Anna Julia Cooper
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The Black Panther Party
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Claudette Colvin
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Ella Baker
I could go on & on…
2.) SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES
Source: myblackmarketuk
We often don’t think critically of where we spend our mula. Would you rather want your money to contribute to the exploitation of P.O.C and make the 1% richer OR help economically uplift communities of color. The answer is obvious! To rise, the black community needs agency and financial freedom. This month, if you can, I challenge you to look up a black owned alternative to the mascara you were going to pick up at sephora or the hair products and lotion you regularly buy. Do you like the convenience of online shopping at amazon? Not a problem! Visit webuyblack.com, a marketplace of goods from various black businesses.
3.) CELEBRATE BLACK ARTISTS
Source: Black Artists
This includes those of all art: singers, rappers, poets, painters, sculptors, etc. Lyrics, the stroke of a paint brush, the intensity of spoken words and the beat of songs can speak volumes. Let’s celebrate queen’s like Beyonce, while also remembering those like Maya Angelou and uplifting others.
4.) DIVE INTO BLACK LITERATURE
Source: Man Repeller
Whether it’s fiction, an autobiography or poetry; every book will introduce you to various lenses of the black narrative throughout history.
My recommendations:
1.) The Marrow of Tradition by Charles W. Chestnutt
2.) A Voice from the South by Anna Julia Cooper
3.) Angela Davis an Autobiography by Angela Davis
4.)Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela
5.) SUPPORT EACH OTHER
Source: Squarespace
Let’s smile at each other more!! Connect more! Empower each other! I’M ROOTING FOR ALL OF YOU. Joining spaces like infinity groups of campus is a great way to make friends that you can relate to and connect with. These safe spaces are key for healing and prospering within the black community. Try to head out to your school’s next Black Student Union event! They’re here for you and you should be there for them.
6.) LIVE UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK
Source: Etsy
In everything you do, always.