February has rolled around again, which means Black History Month is here again.
The Quincy Public Library has put up a display honoring Black History Month & in 2025, we have decided to highlight black authors. It is an opportunity for us to celebrate the additions that African Americans, & people of African descent in general, have contributed to literature, to literacy.
Yes, African American history is American history but this is where intersectionality comes into play. The African American community has contributed to sports, art, literature, science, industry. The African American community has been part of American history since 1619 & have played roles within that history. Sadly, those contributions have not always been noticed, recorded, or discussed. While all of this has played into the bigger picture of American culture & history, the experience is also uniquely African American.
A month dedicated to that history is an opportunity to marvel over the differences that have helped to build this country, while celebrating that group's achievements, contributions, & history. See it as an opportunity or maybe even a challenge to read a book or watch a movie about or by someone who does not look like you. (Bonus points if you do both.) That is the type of thing that helps build empathy, community, & understanding. Use this as an opportunity to learn about the contributions they have made (such as the troops at Milliken Bend at the Battle of Vicksburg, Bayard Rustin & the Civil Rights Movement, or George Washington Carver's contributions to agriculture). Read about sports. Watch the movies & documentaries on the history of all of this stuff. Yes, it is also all a moment for us to grapple with an uncomfortable history of the US not doing right by people of color but if we look that history in the face, it is a growth opportunity; a moment where we can learn from our past & proceed forward with better intentions, better actions, & better policies.
"Know from whence you came. If you know from whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations on where you can go." - James Baldwin
