How to Think About Black History Month →

Clint Smith, from the latest issue of his excellent, new-ish monthly newsletter:

Black History Month is a chance to remember those who have made enormous contributions to this country, but it's also an opportunity to remember that those contributions did not just come from major figures. They also came from millions of Black folks whose names we’ll never know. It's the stories of ordinary Black people, those still living and those who have passed, that I think of most when we reflect on this country's history. It’s the story of Frederick Douglass, yes, but also the story of the millions of other enslaved people whose voices we don't hear. It's the story of Dr. King and of Rosa Parks, certainly, but also the story of the millions of Black people across the country and across generations who fought for civil rights in their local towns, communities, and neighborhoods—the stories that didn't make the front page of the paper. It’s the stories that take seriously the impact that centuries of oppression have had on Black people, while not limiting conceptions of Blackness singularly to a history of violence. It is a recognition of all that Black folks have done and continue to do in spite of that violence. And perhaps most of all, it’s essential to remember, acknowledge, and commemorate the exceptional contributions Black people have made to America, but also important to remember that Black people don’t need to do anything "exceptional” to justify or legitimate their place in this country.

My freshman year of college—15 years ago (!)—was my first exposure to Black History Month. Honestly, shamefully, I didn’t get it. I didn’t see its importance.

But things change. You grow up. The world forces you to open your eyes. And the last several years have been significant for me in terms of my own growth and grappling with US American history and US America today. I owe a significant part of that growth and challenge to Clint Smith’s voice.