Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. It grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans.
President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.
This year’s theme is, “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity” explores the African diaspora, and the spread of Black families across the United States.
In honor of Black History Month, here are suggestions to celebrate and support the Black community.
1. Read a book or three. Whether you are looking to educate yourself on issues of racism or you’d like to celebrate a Black writer, Goodreads.com has a list of 1,844 books tagged “Black History Month.”
The top five choices for teens and adults are:
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The top rated children’s books are:
• Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine
• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
• The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
• Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson
• Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
2. Donate to an HBCU. Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. They include Spelman College, Howard University, Tuskegee University and Morehouse College among others. Our current Vice President, Kamala Harris, is a graduate of Howard University.
HBCU’s represent just three percent of the nation’s institutions of higher learning, yet account for nearly 20 percent of African American graduates with undergraduate degrees.
The HBCU Foundation has 105 members and raises scholarship dollars in support of students attending the member institutions.
To donate to an HBCU, check thehbcufoundation.org.
3. Support a Black-owned business. Spending your money at Black-owned businesses is one of the best ways to offer support. Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations on local Black-owned business.
Online, you can check webuyblack.com, the largest e-marketplace for Black-owned businesses. The website has been called the “Black Amazon” and has all sorts of everyday products available for purchase. “Black Nation” is an app you can download that has listings of Black owned business in communities across the country.
4. Join the NAACP. The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race. They work in the areas of federal advocacy, environmental and climate justice, economic opportunity, criminal justice, education, health, and media diversity.
Annual memberships are $30 for adults. For information on the national organization you can check www.naacp.org.
To reach the Monterey Branch of the NAACP, call (831) 394-3727 or log onto montereynaacp.org. You can check their website for information on events for Black History Month as well as others events scheduled throughout the year.
5. Organize a workplace event. If you are a business owner or manager, February is the perfect month for an educational event for employees. Obviously, with the current pandemic we can’t meet in person but a virtual event with a speaker, author, or historian speaking about race relations or civil rights would be a great way to offer employees the opportunity to learn something while also opening the conversation about race.
6. Purchase artwork created by a Black artist. Directly supporting the creative work of Black artists is a great way to put dollars directly in their hands. Websites such as Etsy.com, Society6.com, and Blackartdepot.com have sections devoted to Black creators or in the case of Black Art Depot, offer African-American art, gifts, and collectibles.
7. Watch a film by a Black filmmaker. Local activist Nathanial Sawyer recommends Director Spike Lee’s new movie American Skin and One Night in Miami by Director Regina King. You can find a list of 14 films by Black filmmakers that critics believe everyone should watch at www.empireonline.com.
To read a fascinating discussion with fifteen notable Black filmmakers including Nia DaCosta, Lee Daniels, and Dawn Porter, check time.com/5874175/black-cinema-essential-movies/
However you choose to acknowledge and celebrate Black History Month, the hope is that you won’t limit your activities to February. Make that HBCU donation monthly or resolve to seek out Black authors or filmmakers throughout the year. And, be sure to include your family!