Black History Month: Celebrate with Action.

“Nobody's free until everybody's free.” Fannie Lou Hamer

February is Black History Month. We have some feelings about that. We would like to know when we can expect history to reflect all Americans in all the months of the year. 

Are you curious how and when Black History Month began? Click here.

We are not the right people to inform you about Black American History. We are white and we were educated in schools that like most American schools neglected this topic, so integral to American History.

But there are many, many people who are doing the work to bring Black History into American History and into the awareness of all Americans, where it belongs.

We admire the work of Tony Nabors at Racial Equity Insights. 

His 8 minute, 17 second video “50+ Anti-racist quick tips and facts to support your journey” is a goldmine of helpful starting points, such as:

5 Ways to be a better Anti-racist: 

1. Educate yourself on the history and legacy of racism. Tony Nabors particularly recommends “Race: The Power of an Illusion”.

2. Begin the tough work of uncovering your own hidden racial biases. Try this to get started: Harvard’s Implicit Bias Test.

3. Expand beyond the “good person/bad person” binary when it comes to racism. If you think that because you are a good person, you can’t have racist ideas, you are on the wrong track.

4.  Follow content creators of color. Give support to these pages and allow those perspectives to help you reprogram your own thoughts.

5. Develop an intersectional analysis. That means understanding that all these systems of oppression, including racism, sexism, homophobia, transantagonism, transphobia, all those things do not exist in a vacuum, which means we need to be more sensitive towards those people and systems who occupy multiple of those identities.

You can celebrate Black history and future by subscribing to a daily newsletter series called “28 Days of Black History.”

You’ll receive one email each day honoring an undertold story of a Black visionary. We subscribed and received our first email yesterday: Day 1: Gladys Bentley, an openly gay singer, pianist, and entertainer in New York City during the Prohibition Era. And today’s: Day 2: a history lesson on the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo. We highly recommend subscribing here.

We are pleased to see that Central Bucks is celebrating Black history month, and look forward to learning more details:

CBSD Celebrates Black History Month 

As February marks the beginning of Black History Month, the Central Bucks School District is proud to announce a month-long celebration dedicated to honoring the remarkable achievements and contributions of African Americans across all age groups in our schools.

This initiative aims to shed light on the rich tapestry of African American history and culture, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the diversity that enriches our community. Throughout the month, students, faculty, and the broader community are encouraged to actively participate in various educational and celebratory activities designed to promote awareness and unity.

The Central Bucks School District invites parents, students, educators, and community members to join us in this celebration of Black History Month. By honoring the accomplishments of African Americans, we aim to instill a sense of pride, respect, and appreciation for the rich diversity that strengthens our schools and community.

Here are some places you might begin or continue your reading journey:

• Ibram X. Kendi’s Anti-racist reading list.

• Harvard Kennedy School’s Racial Justice, Racial Equity, and Anti-racist Reading List.

• Bookshop.org’s anti-racist reading list.

From the same video from Tony Nabors at Racial Equity Insights, here are ten ways to respond when someone says something racist in your presence:

1. When and why did you start believing that?

2. I’m going to have to stop you right there.

3. How was the person’s race relevant to that story?

4. Yeah, I hear what you’re saying, but what evidence do you have to support that belief?

5. That hasn’t been my experience with [insert racial group here]. What experience have you had that gave you that opinion?

6. Tell me more about what you meant by that comment.

7. I won’t hear you say things like that around me.

8. That sounded pretty racist.

9. I don’t get it. Can you explain to me what makes that joke funny?

10. Wow.

How NOT to respond: silence.

“I feel sorry for anybody that could let hate wrap them up. Ain't no such thing as I can hate anybody and hope to see God's face.” Fannie Lou Hamer 

Here is what bell hooks had to say about schools and “neutrality” and “balance,” as per Central Buck’s Policy 321 (thankfully this policy is now suspended): 

The self was presumably emptied out the moment the threshold was crossed, leaving in place only an objective mind—free of experiences and biases. There was fear that the conditions of that self would interfere with the teaching process. Part of the luxury and privilege of the role of teacher/professor today is the absence of any requirement that we be self-actualized. Not surprisingly, professors who are not concerned with inner wellbeing are the most threatened by the demand on the part of students for liberatory education, for pedagogical processes that will aid them in their own struggle for self-actualization.

In honor of Black History Month, we call for liberatory education: an inclusive, expansive education for ALL our children.