Carter Woodson, created Negro History and Literature Week in 1924. (Photo/Library of Congress)
By Karen Stokes
Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) chooses a different theme for Black History Month. This year, the theme is “African Americans and the Arts.”
“African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment,” the ASALH says of this year’s theme.
African American poets, writers, visual artists, musicians, actors and dancers, have long been instrumental in driving societal change through their respective crafts.
Movements like the New Negro, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, led by individuals of African descent, have not only set global trends but also shaped the diverse history and experiences of African-American arts and artisans.
For centuries Western intellectuals denied or downplayed the contributions of people of African descent to both the arts and history, even as their artistry in many genres has been imitated or stolen.
(Photo/UW Human Resources)
There is a continuous legacy of Black art creation spanning from ancient times to the present, from Egypt across Africa from Europe to America. Enslaved Africans of the Lowcountry initiated a tradition of crafting sweetgrass baskets over three centuries ago, showcasing their visual artistry before the American Revolution.
In 1926, the ASALH, sponsored a national Negro History week choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances.
According to black history month.gov, The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation’s bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
“In the South, they tried to suppress Black history or African American history in the public schools,” said W. Marvin Dulaney, president of ASALH told NPR. “Particularly about things like Reconstruction and slavery, literally distorting the curriculum.”
African Americans advocate for celebrating Black History Month mainly because of its significance in educating people about the contributions of African-Americans. While some view it as a reminder not to forget this history, others consider Black history an everyday appreciation. For those less centered on Black culture and history, the month holds particular importance.
Black History Month has been and can continue to be a force for better understanding.