Among the many significant events people take part in is Black History Month. Black History Month provides a chance to learn more about African-American and African history, looking past tales about oppression and segregation, and celebrate the Black accomplishment. Those past years , a global pandemic , which also came during a turbulent era in which social justice demands hit a fever peak, served as a timely reminder to assess that institutional injustice still exists and provide visibility to the individuals and groups working to address it.
Originally, Black History Month was intended to educate students and young people about the achievements of African-Americans and other minorities. Such stories have mostly been ignored, and they were an essential aspect of the public discourse that had been overlooked. It's now regarded as a commemoration of those who have influenced not just the nation but the whole globe through their advocacy and accomplishments.
The month-long focus in February in the United States (and also globally p.e in Germany) provides a chance for viewers to connect with Black/African backgrounds, go past debates about segregation and slavery, and recognize Black/African icons and achievements. Carter G. Woodson,
the Father of Black History, is remembered for established an observance that eventually evolved into a monthly festival to validate African-Americans' accomplishments.
African Americans and Latinos have continued to honor African American interactions in recent years in an attempt to infuse modern democratic conflicts with historical insight. Smithfield Foods' Latino and African American meatpackers in North Carolina joined together and went on strike to demand that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day be observed as a paid holiday. Eduardo Pea, a union activist, said, "We've got a group of Latino employees here who are planning a holiday walkout. 'People think we don't realize who Martin Luther King was — his fight was the same struggle we're having now,' I hear them suggest." The employees integrated the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day fight into their union organizing effort, which they eventually won.
In 2020, political activists in Arizona fighting discriminatory deportation laws actively took strength and theoretical wisdom from the civil rights struggle of the 1960s. Veterans of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee were asked to speak to immigration rights leaders in seminars. They marched along with banners saying, "From Selma to Phoenix, from Civil Rights to Human Rights." African Americans and Latinos worldwide came together to talk about their common dreams, bridging often strained partnerships. Janet Murgua, president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, became the first Latina to talk at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast in Birmingham.
It is different, however, in Africa. Black immigrants' disinterest in BHM stems from the fact that it appears to overlook African background in favor of focusing on African American history, particularly in recent years. Immigrants of color do not find themselves reflected in this history.
Back in 1926, scholar and promoter of BHM Carter G. Woodson had this to tell about the significance of culture and race:
“If a species has no past, no meaningful heritage, it fades into obscurity in the world's consciousness, and it faces extinction. There is no continuous record of the American Indians. He didn't see the importance of tradition, and where is he now? The importance of custom was highly valued by the Hebrews, as shown by the Bible itself. As a result, through worldwide repression, he is a significant contributor to our civilization.”
Continuing interaction with black history is important since it provides meaning for the present.
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