Belonging to Our Collective History: Why Black History Month Matters

Each February, Black History Month is observed across the United States. Black History Month is an opportunity to honor Black voices and experiences, not as separate or alone, but as part of our collective history. Starr has always recognized the full truth and spectrum of lived experiences that inform us as we work to foster healing and shape a world where we all belong.
 
Black History Month traces its origins back to historian Carter G. Woodson, who established “Negro History Week” in 1926 to promote the study of Black history in schools and public life. On this 100^th anniversary, it is important to acknowledge that Dr. Woodson never intended the observance to be divisive, but rather to educate all Americans about African American contributions to the United States. The observance aimed to engage, invite, and inform about Black history as integral to American history, and one of belonging.
 
In 1969, students and faculty at Kent State University advocated for expanding the observance to a full month. In 1976, during the nation’s bicentennial, President Gerald R. Ford formally recognized Black History Month as a national observance.
 
Black History Month also highlights contributions across a wide range of fields. Literary figures such as James Baldwin and Zora Neale Hurston have shaped American letters, while scientists and innovators including Katherine Johnson and Mark Dean have contributed to advances in science and technology. Civil rights leaders such as Ella Baker, Diane Nash, and Kwame Ture played significant roles in movements that sought to expand political participation and legal protections during the twentieth century.
 
In recent years, Black History Month has intersected with broader national discussions about how American history should be taught. Policymakers, educators, and community members have debated the scope and framing of topics such as slavery, segregation, systemic racism, and civil rights. Some argue that certain educational policies risk narrowing the discussion of these subjects, while others contend that curriculum changes are intended to ensure age-appropriate instruction or to present multiple perspectives. These debates reflect differing views about how history should be interpreted and presented in public education.
 
Commentators across the political spectrum have also weighed in on these issues. Some have expressed concern that recent policy changes may diminish public engagement with aspects of Black history. Other analysts and policymakers dispute that characterization, arguing that reforms are aimed at adjusting educational priorities rather than removing historical content. The discussion illustrates the broader tension surrounding national memory, public institutions, and civic education.
 
Historical studies often reveal patterns of inequality, reform, and resistance. Figures such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, Fannie Lou Hamer, Martin Luther King Jr., A. Philip Randolph, and Bayard Rustin are frequently studied for their roles in abolition, anti-lynching advocacy, voting rights organizing, community programs, labor movements, and nonviolent protest strategies. Their work forms part of a broader historical narrative about democratic participation and social change in the United States.
 
More broadly, history functions as a means of understanding how institutions developed, how power has been distributed, and how individuals and communities have shaped the nation’s trajectory. Black History Month serves as one structured opportunity to examine these themes within the specific context of African American history.
 
For Starr, the observance of Black History Month is both commemorative and educational. It encourages recognition of achievement while also prompting examination of historical events and their long-term effects. As public conversations about national identity and civic education continue, Black History Month remains a recurring moment for reflection on the complexity of the American experience and the diverse narratives that compose it. To that, we all belong.