The Importance of Historical Context

I have always had an appreciation for Black History Month as it is an opportunity to highlight Black people who have made or continue to make a difference in the world. Growing up, I attended public schools with predominantly Black students and teachers, so Black history was embedded in the curriculum from books that were assigned in English class to learning about prominent leaders in Social Studies and History classes. When I reflect on my experiences, I am grateful to have been afforded the opportunity to learn about slavery, the effects of Jim Crow Laws, segregation, police brutality, and systemic racism that continues to have negative impacts on the Black community. 

While it has been emotionally difficult to learn about these issues, it was invaluable in cultivating my understanding of shared intergenerational trauma that Black people continue to experience. Even today, the upspoken rules about being overly cautious in predominantly Caucasian spaces and having “the talk” about proper ways to behave when stopped by the police impact us. It also aided in understanding the reasons my father preferred to support black owned businesses that provided a sense of community. I later learned that he did this not only to be in a space where others looked like him, but because he did not have to endure overt and covert racism. These nuances may be difficult for others to fathom, but they aide in a deeper understanding of the systemic racial issues that plague the Black community. 

Recently, government officials have been creating laws to ban racism from being taught in schools, in addition to parents in Texas expressing a desire to ban approximately 50 books from school libraries that address race, racism, sex, and gender and sexuality.  Placing a ban is burdensome to the racial/ethnic groups and the LGBTQ+ community as we carry the weight of dealing with the injustices, while others continue to move through society guilt-free. If Black people must be charged with the weight of experiencing racism and the microaggressions that come along with it, others should be educated about the history of racism in this country and work collectively to be part of the systemic change.  Black History Month has been my favorite national holiday to celebrate, not simply because I am Black, but because we are able to learn about the lives of Black people who challenged the system and excelled despite the policies and practices that were in place to prevent them from doing so. A ban is an attempt to erase history and the injustices in this country. Trying to avoid addressing the pain does not simply make it go away, but rather creates even more problems. If these issues are viewed as “offensive” and “uncomfortable” to read, imagine the emotional pain and suffering individuals who experienced these injustices feel.