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What Black History Month Means to Me by Briana Jernigan

by Melinda Raebyne March 1, 2025 2

As I sit down to write this piece on Black History Month, I cannot ignore the Trump Administration efforts to stop diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. On February 11, 2025, Google Calendar removed special observances from their websites such as Pride, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Women’s History Month, and Black History Month. Moves like this aren’t surprising as we’re nearly a month into President Trump’s second term because these are ideas that he’s run on for years. What stands out this time around is the vigor in which corporations are backing these “anti-DEI” rollbacks to have a good standing with the current administration. With the current state of the world in mind, I am thinking about what Black History Month means to me in a time of so much uncertainty and regression.

Black History Month is a commemorative month originating in the United States. In the US and Canada, it is celebrated in February but in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Black History Month is celebrated in October. As an American, I will reflect mostly on Black History Month in the United States. It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora, initially lasting a week before becoming a month-long observation in 1970. In 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson along with the Association for the Study of African American Life and History announced that the second week of February was to be known as “Negro History Week” to coincide with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. This choice might seem random, but freedom celebrations and the acknowledgment of Black history have coincided with those birthdays since the 19th century. Early on, the event was supported and spread through African-American-run newspapers to teach Black history. While it was a slow process, mayors of major cities in the country began to show support.

Black educators and students at Kent State University proposed the idea of a Black History Month in 1969 and Kent State is credited with being the first to celebrate Black History Month the following year. Six years later, President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month along with the Bicentennial of the United States of America in 1976. Since its inception, Black History Month has been eagerly received and revered as a time when the contributions and culture of Black Americans take center stage. In 1619, the first ship carrying enslaved Africans came to Virginia meaning that the arrival of Black people in the United States predates the country itself. Since the beginning of the United States, enslaved Black people and eventually liberated Black people have built this country culturally, financially, and through agriculture and manufacturing.

Growing up as a Black child, Black History Month typically featured little factoids about Black contributions in the United States. One of my earliest memories of Black History Month was dressing up as Black historical figures in third grade and presenting a history paper on a figure. My mother and I made peanut brittle to celebrate George Washington Carver. At the time, all I knew about him was that he invented peanut brittle and worked with peanuts a lot. I was eight years old at the time. What I’ve learned about George Washington Carver in the years since being a third grader is that he was an agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops and methods to avoid soil depletion. He championed underserved communities being able to source their food and provided them with the knowledge and resources to be able to do so. Not only that, he was an environmentalist who wrote extensively about his sustainable farming techniques. Carver was outspoken about his beliefs in conserving America wetlands and his career as a scientist spanned five decades. I say all that to say that even a small trivia factoid about a Black historical figure has led me down a path of learning so much more about George Washington Carver. There are thousands of prominent and hidden Black figures throughout history who have done so much in their lives to make the lives of the average American so much better.

For me, Black History Month is more than a designated time on a calendar. Taking the time to honor and celebrate the triumphs and tribulations that Black people have experienced throughout history makes me feel grateful for what I have now. It’s a time for the nation to reflect, celebrate, and educate as we look back on all of the contributions and places we’ve been as a country. To build a brighter future, we must reflect on and learn from the past. Moreover, Black History Month is a reminder of how far we’ve come but also, how much work must be done. Recognizing the present and how we shape our future serves as a call to action to address systemic injustices that persist. Racial inequality, economic disparity, and social injustices are prevalent issues that only broaden resentments and misunderstandings. These are things that are impossible to ignore or forget.

Black people have shaped not just the United States but the entire world in such profound ways. From arts, politics, science, and activism, Black people have repeatedly stamped our way into the history books. We have a culture of resilience and resistance–a way of letting the world know that we are here, and we aren’t going anywhere. While I live this legacy in my daily life, Black History Month is a refresher that helps exhibit Black culture and identity. We celebrate our excellence, educate others, and reflect on our past, present, and future before we go out and continue the work. These are important things to do no matter the year or who is in office.

As we continue to face such strange and surreal times, taking time to appreciate and educate ourselves on the people that are being celebrated throughout these heritage months and remembrance days can only bring positive outcomes for our future. Black History Month in February going into Women’s History Month in March is a reminder of how there’s a need for understanding intersectionality. These are not silly and meaningless displays, but I consider them to be an educational jumping-off point to bringing about significant change as well as a time to take a breather and show appreciation.