Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of blacks in U.S. history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” which was started by the noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. It is celebrated annually in the United States and Canada in February, as well as in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in October.
This year, Black History Month is more important than ever. We have an overtly racist, sexist, homophobic government that wants to take America back to a time that never existed. Black history is American history, not a footnote. In 2018 it is still important to highlight this information because many people still don’t realize how much Black Americans have done to move America forward and make life better. Black people have slaved, created, invented, and entertained, making the America we know and remember. At the same time white supremacy has worked very diligently to keep black people from getting the credit and lives we deserve.
The history of black American contributions to our country is consistently left out of the history books or shown in a race neutral way to make people think that everything in America is attributable to white men.
Did you know a black person invented the ice cream scoop, the mailbox, or the traffic light? If you did, good on you, but it is more likely that you didn’t know this. Black people have invented so many of the tools, devices, technology and processes that we all use today, yet little is known about these aspects of black history. Black people have and will continue to excel in all areas of society. You cannot keep us down and we will not be disregarded.
During this Black History Month the Global Black Caucus will highlight the ingenuity of Black Americans. Check out our Facebook page and our twitter account for more information on the brilliance of Black America. We hope you are edified and enlightened by the information we share.
This year please vote. Many people have fought and died for every American’s freedom and our right to vote and participate in the political progress. If you want to take a stand against the Republican Party, voting is the best way to do it.
Register to vote/Request your ballot today at votefromabroad.org.
Keep resisting!
Power to the People!