A Note From the Guest Editor, LaGarrett J. King
This year marks the 100-year anniversary of Negro History Week and the 50th anniversary of its later iteration, Black History Month. For those who want a detailed history of the celebration, I suggest reading the following resources: I’ll Make a Me a World by Jarvis R. Givens, The Early Black History Movement by Pero Gaglo Dagbovie, and Making Black History by Jeffrey Aaron Snyder.
One hundred years of celebrating anything is quite an accomplishment. However, as I reflect on this year, I am left wondering: Are we where we need to be as a society with Black history?
I do not know if Carter G. Woodson, the creator of Negro History Week, believed that the celebration would have such longevity. His writing suggests that he may not have even wanted Negro History Week to last this long. His end game was that Black history would be an integral part of education and culture, not a once-a-year celebration.
I do not think that Woodson’s goal of fully integrating Black history into school year-round has been accomplished yet. School curricula continue to lack Black history instruction. Many times Black history is taught superficially, if it’s taught at all. We still do not have universal buy-in for this celebration. Some people have argued that Black History Month is racist or discriminatory.
This is not to say Black History Month does not flourish in many spaces. Each year, hundreds of schools and community centers across the country hold invigorating Black History Month programs. Many organizations, such as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, provide leadership and celebrate Black history themes. Social media has also been a vibrant venue to celebrate Black History Month, where regular people can commemorate little-known Black historical people and facts.
Each year, I receive emails about the lessons and reflections that this special Education Week opinion project has sparked. I hope this year’s project will be just as impactful as previous years. While Woodson’s vision has yet to be realized, it does not mean that it will never be. Will it take another 100 years? I sure hope not. In the meantime, we should continue to push and learn about the nuances of history and the people who make it a reality.
Happy Black History Month!
LaGarrett J. King is a professor at the University at Buffalo and the founding director of the university’s Center for K-12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education.
Editor’s note: Erin K. Robinson is the illustrator for this project.