White Lady Explains Black History Month

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I am not the face nor the voice that can properly represent the significance of Black History Month. But I am a voice- and unfortunately, people who look like me might be more likely to listen when someone with my face chooses to speak.

(I would like to note that I linked wiki links and resources throughout this article if you want to do your own deep dive)

As most of us know February is Black History Month but if you are like me- a white woman raised in a small conservative town by religious conservative parents- Black History Month was more of a brief, disgruntled mention than an opportunity to learn. So honestly- up until recent years I never really looked into it to understand the celebration deeper than reading a book by a black author in February.

(If you do want to support a black author and creator- anytime is a great time but February might just be your reminder to do so. This month I am reading “Not What She Seems” by Yasmin Angoe.)

I was raised with comments like “Black History Month? When is White History Month?” from people (while not malicious) severely lacking the understanding that the country and largely the world they live in is built upon centering white history while marginalizing, erasing, or minimizing the histories of Black and brown communities. They don’t grasp that the privilege they carry is not the privilege of having an “easy life” but rather the privilege of not having hard times SOLELY due to the color of their skin.

The same voices that didn’t understand the Black Lives Mattermovement and rushed to shout All Lives Matter. Not understanding that no one was saying their lives didn’t matter- but the movement was giving a message to the people (that have been told by oppressors, neighbors, governments, nations, politicians, school systems, housing markets, etc) that they are less than…that Black Lives Matter (Official Website).

White people felt attacked by the message because such a message coming from white people would have been an attack, a threat, a stance of white supremacy. And because we have all been so cozy in our privilege many of us never even thought that the same systems that rub our backs and tell us we are “the good guys” are the same ones harming people of color. And with the comfort the system provides us I think there is an innate desire to protect the system even if that same system would and will just stab us in the back at a moment’s notice.

Anyways- a lot of blah blah blah to say…maybe a “Black History Month For Dummies” might be a useful stepping stone for well meaning white people and also open up conversation from voices that matter in this conversation below if you feel so inclined. It’s never too late to learn and it’s never too late to go “Hey, maybe I should google why Black History Month is so important.

Black History Month For Dummies

We all know that February is Black History Month but did you know it was originally just a week? Back in 1926, the second week of February would be Negro History Week by Carter G. Woodson.(Remember him, he’s important.) This week was chosen as it also corresponded with Abraham Lincoln’s and Fredrick Douglass’sbirthdays. In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford expanded the celebrating to the entire month.

Why It Started

First, we have to talk about our guy- Carter G. Woodson. He was born in Virginia in 1875 to Anne Aliza (Riddle) Woodson and James Henry Woodson- both of whom were formerly enslaved. Anne had volunteered to be sold in order to keep her siblings together with her parents and James was a carpenter and farmer, served in the Union Army, who escaped slavery and later supported his large family. Neither parent could read but both highly encouraged their children to pursue an education.

Carter G. Woodson didn’t begin his education until he was 20 years old but this didn’t seem to hold him back. He very quickly (with a lot of determination and hard work) got his high school diploma in West Virginia, got his first undergraduate degree from Berca College in Kentucky, and his bachelor’s and masters from a university in Chicago. He was the 2nd black American to receive a PhD in History from Harvard.

He was a historian, author, and journalist most known for being the dean of the Association for the study of African American Life and History (ASALH)– an organization still active today with the mission “is to promote, research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about Black life, history and culture to the global community.” Founding Negro History Week (which would evolve into Black History Month) and also the Journal of Negro History.

His passion for history and his lived experience lead him to dedicating the second week of February as Negro History Week with the intent to challenge racist, Eurocentric narratives and highlight the tragically and intentionally overlooked achievements of black people in American history. Not only their achievements but their stories of suffering and of the joy that made impossible feats possible.

He chose the second week of February as it coincided with both Abraham Lincoln’s and Fredrick Douglass’s birthdays- both men having great influence on the emancipation of enslaved people.

Why Is Black History Month Important Today?

The real question would be to ask “why wouldn’t it be important today?” But- alas, people want their reasons. My personal answer would be

  1. It’s so interesting to learn about people and their histories ESPECIALLY when they differ from me. Constantly having my nose in my own history that I inherited is interesting in it’s own right but being curious about the many people that make this nation and this world great- seems like a phenomenal way to spend my time.

  2. Understanding where we went wrong and sometimes where we went right when it comes to how we treat people is a significant and privileged opportunity to learn from our past. And I wish more people took the time to do so.

But- overall…this is why Black History Month is Important:

  1. This bridges that past and the present and while we should value history regardless of what time of year it is- having a month focused on one topic is a great way to really dive in deep with intention and carry what you learned with you for the rest of the year and hopefully-the rest of your life.

  2. It’s an opportunity to highlight and honor the contributions and legacy of important figures as well as everyday people who helped shape American history.

  3. It’s a great way to take time to actively reflect and take the time to educate yourself not only on the slavery aspect of history…but also of culture, lives, and dynamics that still exist today.

  4. It’s a call to action for advocacy and social justice.

  5. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY- its a way to express identity and culture in a mindful and intentional way.

I encourage you to share black content creators, authors, activists, people in history that you enjoy or have learned about. Share their books, their videos, their stories. Use your voice to direct the spotlight to people who far too often have been silenced.

Thank you for reading this explanation of Black History Month by a white lady. I hope I didn’t fuck it up too badly and approached it with humility and tone needed.

And remember folks- when in doubt, listen to Black women. Historically, they’ve been at the forefront of justice movements and far too often unheard.

-KR