What is Black History Month?

This past month has seen several celebrations regarding Black History Month. From the Super Bowl halftime show, to the events surrounding the NBA All-Star Game, to streaming platforms highlighting movies and music from Black and Brown storytellers, the month has functioned as a holiday season of sorts in order to draw attention to the stories and accomplishments that have dotted the landscape of American history.

Historically speaking, holidays are seasons meant for reflection and celebration. On Memorial Day weekend, Americans take time to honor and consider those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to help ensure freedoms in this land. Around July 4th, Americans take time to reflect upon and celebrate the birth of the country. In the Christian tradition, seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter are meant to pull you into the story of Jesus in order to consider Him more carefully, to reshape the longings of our hearts, to form us deeply and to (re)direct the way we live our lives today.

So what does this mean for Black History Month? For almost 50 years, February has been set apart regarding Black History in America, yet the origins of Black History month date back as far as 1926 to a historian named Carter G. Woodson. As the son of former slaves, Woodson had a burden. After the Civil War, there was a story being told in the South that came to be known as “The Lost Cause.” The Lost Cause claimed that the cause of the South was not centered on slavery, that slaves had it good in the South and that history books would be utilized so that school children in the South would know the “true” narratives regarding the Civil War. Knowing the brutal realities that slaves endured, or succumbed to, Woodson fought hard to ensure that did not happen and that the truth of both the accomplishments and the degradation of his people would be told. 

So in 1926 Woodson declared the second week of February to be dubbed “Negro History Week.” This particular week was chosen because the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln (2/12) and Frederick Douglass (2/14) fell during that week, and black communities had been celebrating those birthdays together for over 40 years. Later on, some students at Kent State University began celebrating Black History Month in 1970 and President Gerald Ford recognized it officially, beginning in 1976, during the country’s Bicentennial Celebration, where it has been a mainstay ever since.

For all the slants and politicization that race related issues in our country have incurred over the years, it’s important to consider these origins of Black History for, at least, two reasons:

1. Storytelling matters. The way you represent people and history forms minds around the stories used to do so. The Bible says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:25) and the untrue and untold stories that have and have not been handed down through the ages have contributed to the violent tensions between the peoples of America. This isn’t merely an American issue though. These kinds of issues are in every culture: Dominicans and Haitians, Hutus and Tutsis, Indians and Pakistanis to mention a few. Every single person has a temptation to look at another human being and think that they and their people are better or worse than you and your people. And vice versa. Which is why this isn’t first and foremost a political issue. Politics are too thin to handle this kind of thing. This sinks down to the level of our common humanity. You can change legislation, but the stories we pass down are what changes hearts and minds. Storytelling matters. Which leads to the 2nd reason of why knowing the origin of Black History Month matters.

2. Truth, in love, is the only catalyst for real change. To ease consciences about the darkest parts of our history is a sure-fire recipe to repeat them in new, culturally contextual forms. Any chance of eliminating generational ‘isms (racism, classism, sexism, generationalism) must involve the full truth of the story to be confronted and faced. Only then can the conscience of individuals and a culture be pricked enough to stop, reflect and commit to living differently in light of the pain. Even if solutions are not readily accessible, empathy, compassion and an openness to consider new ways of relating are.

There are many other reasons it is important to know the origin story of Black History Month, but these two drill down at the core level. Black History Month has been installed by necessity because black history has been grossly underrepresented when the storytelling of America has been told. As actor Morgan Freeman so concisely put it once, “Black history is American history.” This is why we have Black History Month – so that the fullness of the historical landscape of our country can be traversed. Pondered. Lamented. And built upon responsibly. 

For those who are followers of Jesus, the Bible gives us the blueprint for this. We get all of peoples’ stories, the good parts and the messy parts. Abraham and Sarah receive the promises of God and use and oppress an Egyptian maidservant. David slays Goliath and takes advantage of Bathsheba. Peter preaches after Pentecost and is called out for being racist toward Gentiles. The Scriptures do not give us some “ideal” history. They tell the truth of history, revealing both our deep need for rescue and the hope that comes in Christ. Truth keeps every culture, including ours, honest and accountable to what’s real. 

Even though Black History Month is winding down, there is much to reflect on and celebrate. The reflection and celebration should not be quarantined for one month. February serves as a doorway, not a finish line. While there is no “set” way to celebrate, here are a few suggestions that could help:

1. Take in good art.

• • Read books: Pick up Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, or slowly work through the poems of Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou.
  • Watch movies: Some suggestions would be Just Mercy, Selma or I Am Not Your Negro.
  • Listen to albums: Take in John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme, Nina Simone’s Black Gold or Bob Marley’s Survival and take in the brilliance of the symphonies and stories woven together on these timeless classics.
  • Follow storytellers: For example, Bryan Loritts has posted mistold or forgotten stories all month. They are heartbreaking, riveting, and incredibly valuable regarding history.

2. Take a tour. 

• Typically, Art Museums have galleries from Black artists that you can peruse. For example, in Nashville, at the Frist Art Museum, Lexander Bryant has a current exhibit telling stories from a variety of angles. Visual art is a powerful storytelling medium. 
• If you are in the Nashville area, David Steele Ewing gives over 50 unique tours of the city, including a Civil Rights Tour. His personal knowledge of Nashville’s history is astonishing.
• The International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, NC is an interactive experience with a variety of “thoughtful programming” all year long.

These are just a few ways that could make Black History Month, and every month for that matter, more meaningful as we consider the fullness of our common history. Take time to reflect and celebrate what you find. And for heaven’s sake, don’t let bi-partisan, political pundits or the guy down the street be the final authority in your life regarding these things. Let Jesus, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) be that for you. Then let’s pray and dream of all the possibilities of our collective history making, going forward as a unified and collaborative church.