Every February since 1976, the United States has officially celebrated Black History Month as a way to recall, educate and celebrate a gigantic portion of America’s history, culture and people who for so long have been hidden, misunderstood and marginalized.
Though America had celebrated a Negro History Week, this practice, originally created by Carter G. Woodson in 1926, eventually evolved into an entire month. Not chosen because of its length, February was designated as Black History Month as a result of the birthdays of Frederick Douglass, arguably the most famous African American of the nineteenth century, and US President Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, liberating the African slaves in the United States (though not all slaves were freed until the end of the Civil War in 1865).
Each February that I’ve been at Southern, it’s almost as though our campus is on high alert. Our campus, for over 100 years, has been viewed as a racist institution, and some would argue that this idea still holds true today. While our past is imperfect, as administration has addressed, the future of our “Southern Culture” can be changed for the better.
In January, I worked with McKee Library and Marketing and University Relations to produce a media list and banners throughout our campus. The McKee Library media list is full of all kinds of great resources—from books and articles to poetry and an assortment of films. There are banners all over our campus that say “Southern Celebrates Black History Month” with a black leader in American history or Southern alumni who have contributed to Southern in some way (for example, Gale Jones Murphy was the first female and first African-American Student Association President of Southern in 1974). Along with those banners, there are banners that proclaim “This Is Us,” our theme throughout the year.
There is a richness to the diverse culture of black Americans. Such people are African American, Haitian, Jamaican, Bermudian, Dominican, Cuban, Puerto Rican and so much more. When you take the time to dig deep within each culture, you’ll discover a treasure trove of experiences and history. Together, when we decide to celebrate groups of people within America, we celebrate American history, too.
Like King T’Challa said in Marvel’s “Black Panther,” “We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis, the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” I hope that this month you are encouraged to ask questions and learn new perspectives as we continue to define what Southern Culture looks like in 2018.