February 4, 2026 • 28 mins
February 2026 is the hundredth anniversary of Black History Month in the United States. What is the history of it and why is it important, especially now?
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey, this is Sanny and Samantha, and.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome to stuff I never told you a protection of iHeartRadio.
And today, as we record this, it is February third,
twenty twenty six, and this is our first what we
call full episode of February, although it will be shorter,
(00:29):
and that means we are entering Black History Month. Yes,
despite what our current administration in the US says, Sminty
is going to be here celebrating all the time, not
just during Black History Month, but also showcasing Black History Month.
And in the face of so much regression, of so
(00:50):
much erasure, of the loss of DEI policies of school curriculums,
further backtracking on teaching Black history, it got me thinking
about the history of Black History Month. And yeah, and interestingly,
I mean it makes sense some of you have recently
written in about it, and I was like, oh, timing, yes, yes,
(01:15):
because we have commented before on this show and that
Black History Month is in February, because February is the
shortest month of the year. But that is actually not
the case. So let us set the record straight. But
before we do, here's a bit of a disclaimer. Sometimes
(01:37):
we've run into this issue on Smanty wherein we want
to talk about important things, but there's language in the
history that we are not sure as appropriate for us
to say in this case as non black people. So
that being said, there are some organizational and outlet names
in here that I'm going to refer to by their
(01:58):
current names because they did change their name as the
times changed, and not what they were called back then.
And we do go back and forth on this because
we don't want to erase the history of it, but
it also just doesn't feel right for us to say it.
But I know people do go back and forth about it.
(02:19):
We had a back and forth about it when we
were doing the audio book. We were like, what, what's
the correct answer here?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yes, because we definitely don't want to erase any of
the connotations or the beginnings. But just like in anything,
when we see growth and when we understand a better terminology,
that we have to grow with it, and we have
to acknowledge it, and we have to acknowledge the problems
of it as it began. But also like trying to
(02:50):
take the scholastic understanding and going and a farming and
putting in history as it was, this back and forth,
but also feeling uncomfortable, especially for and I will speak
for myself, but I think any understands coming from a
family or an area where they are negative terms and
(03:12):
they are used in to degrade others and in a
racially motivated way. So anything in that I'm traumatized and
scarred by so feel so opposed for it because I
have seen it, used to it so hatefully that I
want nothing to do with it. So it's kind of
one of those things that you go back to. But
I am a professional. We have research or we understand
(03:35):
where this comes from. But at the same time we
understand the darkness of it all. So this, like what
feels comfortable to us versus what is respectful, is a
whole mixed bag.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It is, it is, and I know people have different
opinions on it, and also I mean a whole separate episode.
But the idea of what the internet can run with, right,
you say it, And it's not like AI can't generate
my voice saying it, unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Right, But we don't want to give them more, Amma. No,
not that anybody cares enough about us, but just saying.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
No, not yet, not yet, but yes, just so you know,
I this is going to be a very succinct history
of Black History Months and how it came to be.
But I do recommend that you look it up and
you can see the history of how the terminology changed
(04:35):
and everything like that. All Right, So here in the US,
Black History Month takes place in February every year and
is meant to uplift and remember the accomplishments of black
folks throughout history. As listeners probably know, there is discussion
about how Black History should be all year, which we
believe totally true. But it is also case of spotlighting
(05:01):
history that has for so long been erased or dismissed,
and it was kind of a fight to get this
whole thing established. So the history of Black History Month
goes back to nineteen twenty six. Doctor Carter G. Woodson
is viewed as the father of black history. He was
the second black American to get a PhD in history
(05:22):
from Harvard. He was born in eighteen seventy five and
his parents were previously enslaved. He was able to pursue
opportunities in education like Harvard, and he went on to
teach at Howard University. However, during his studies, he noticed
that black history was seriously underrepresented if it was represented
(05:43):
at all. It was a goal of his to educate
people about the accomplishments, contributions, and history of black people
in America, and he was also concerned with Americans rewriting
the historical narrative from a white perspective an erasing Black history.
So to combat this, one of the ideas he had
(06:08):
was designating a specific time to really highlight black history,
and in his original idea, he wanted to set aside
a week in public schools to focus on black history.
He chose the second week of February as African American
History Week, which again is not what it was originally called,
but I'm going to go with African American because that's
(06:30):
what they go with now, and called on some of
the members of the Association for the Study of African
American Life and History or the ASALH to help him
make it happen, and this was a foundation he helped
start in nineteen fifteen. His main goals were both a
celebration of black history and that it would be studied
(06:52):
seriously in an academic sense, because at the time, not
only was there a lack of academic focus, textbooks just
did not included at all. The ASALH was co founded
by George Cleveland Hall, William B. Hartgrove, Jesse E. Morland,
Alexander L. Jackson, and James E. Stamps. And the story
(07:14):
goes that in nineteen fifteen, Woodson was in Chicago, a
home of his alma mater, because he also went to
the University of Chicago, not just Harvard, to celebrate the
fiftieth anniversary of emancipation in the United States, a celebration
that the state of Illinois was sponsoring, and it lasted
for three weeks. Thousands attended, and the whole thing was
(07:35):
this huge source of inspiration for him. He and the
organization really pushed for more coverage of black history, publishing
work and spreading the word. The ASALH stepped up, providing materials,
lesson plans, whatever they could because people were really interested
in it. Woodson pushed bulletins, he established themes with the
(07:59):
help of those like Mariam Cloud Bethune, who we did
we've talked about before mentioned in our book. Over time,
the week became more and more normalized and accepted in
the US. During the nineteen twenties, black people in the
United States were in more cities across the country, and
the black middle class was growing. They were partaking in
(08:22):
mediums and art created for black people. The Harlem Renaissance
was happening. A demand grew for more materials about black history,
for more history, and black history clubs started to spring up.
People were like really glamoring for it. However, Woodson had
(08:42):
some complaints about some of this. He was worried that
less than educated individuals are those that were just trying
to get in on the moment, we're doing the movement
a disservice or outright harm. Notably, he was also a
believer that this whole thing would transition into year long
(09:07):
teachings of black history. That's what he wanted. He wanted
to start this and then it would grow. By the sixties,
freedom schools in the South had fully embraced the black
history curriculum, but still the most popular eighth grade US
history book textbook only mentioned two black people in the
(09:30):
entire section covering this century after the Civil War. So
some colleges and universities expanded beyond the week and they
started to embrace a whole month Black History Month. This
was during the time of civil rights in the US
and many protests were happening around racial inequality and anti imperialism,
(09:54):
and these protests helped pave the way for Black History Month.
So in places where it was not accepted, teachers would
hide Woodson's textbooks in schools. Freedom schools, Yes, made sure
Black history was a part of the curriculum. And when
we talk about the power of education and why it
is so concerning what we're seeing in the US with
(10:17):
book bands and rolling back CRT or critical race theory
or even just black history in schools, this is what
we're talking about. It's very concerning. However, at this point,
Black History Month wasn't yet official on the federal level.
That didn't change until the country's bi centennial in nineteen
seventy six, when then President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized
(10:42):
Black History Month. In part of his statement about it,
he said, seized the opportunity to honor the two often
neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor
throughout our history. In February of nineteen eighty six, Congress
passed a public law recognizing the second month of the
year as Black History Month. This not only impacted schools,
(11:05):
but public parks museums, libraries, etc. The beginning of nineteen
ninety six, US presidents started releasing proclamations of Black History
Month every year. The first one was specifically celebrating the
(11:27):
achievements of black women. I thought was interesting, and this
brings us to the question of the timing. Why is
Black History Month in February. It's because the second week
of February that was originally celebrated coincided with the birthdays
of two people, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas, both important
(11:48):
to Black history. Lincoln for his role in the emancipation
of those enslaved in the United States, Douglas for his
significant role in the abolitionist movement. I believe their birthdays
are the twelfth and fourteenth, respectively. President Obama was the
first black president still the only black president to address
it in twenty sixteen, and just like with a lot
(12:11):
of things we talk about, Black History Month has a
theme every year. This year the theme is a Century
of Black History Commemorations. Here's a quote from the Asalh site.
To understand the modern world, especially nations where black peoples
form a significant population, one must grapple with the impact
(12:35):
that the public observances have had on the past and
the present. This year, when we are also commemorating the
two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the United States Independence,
it is important to tell not only an inclusive history,
but an accurate one. We have never had more need
to examine the role of Black History Month than we
(12:56):
do when forces weary of democracies seek to use legislative
means and book bands to excise Black history from America's
schools and public culture. Black History's value is not its
contribution to mainstream historical narratives, but its resonance in the
lives of black people. Yeah, and when talking about why
(13:19):
Black History Month matters, there are a lot of articles
that argue while we should yes teach black history all year,
black History Month is a reminder. It's a call to
remember history that has often been whitewashed or erased. As
we said, this is especially important right now when the
(13:39):
current US administration is going out of its way to acknowledge,
to not acknowledge, Black History Month, and removing plaques about
slavery and national parks. The John F. Kennedy Center for
the Performing Arts has no scheduled Black History Month events,
despite it being the one hundredth anniversary, we see continued
(14:02):
attacks on diversity initiatives and black history and public schools.
New regulations forced federal agencies to remove certain parts of
black history because, according to the administration, they paint the
US as quote inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
It's interesting because I've been seeing a few mentions here
and there about how textbooks in the past and currently
are founded based on white supremacist teachings and narratives. They're
talking about the Reconstruction and the Civil War and the Antebellum,
like how that all becomes romanticized and becomes a whole
(14:48):
new conversation. I mean, I still vividly remember my AP
history teacher. You're talking about how the Civil War was
about state rights, and we were all like, yeah, sure, yeah.
To be fair, I was the only non white person
in that class, so nobody was going to push back
on that, and I had no idea what was happening
because we barely talked about it. But there has been
more studies. One specific historian, Donald Yakovin yac O v
(15:12):
O n E. Yeah, y'all know, specifically researched and looked
over like years and years and years of textbooks and
calls out what has happened and what has been happening
in a way that is so amazing to me that
we're finally seeing the background of like, okay, okay, no,
(15:32):
this is why we say we need specific months, because
you don't teach it and just because you say Civil
Wars taught doesn't mean it's actually being taught. And then
like the historical context of the Daughters of the Confederacy
literally pushing back and speaking to ask textbook writers and
(15:53):
New York publishers who were in charge of textbooks, being like, yeah,
we need to make sure that what we should show
is that the black people, the enslaved people, do not
have the intelligence to be a lead, so that that
can be ingrained and that that level of racism can
be ingrained into kids who are learning. And I'm putting
(16:13):
that in quotes, and which is why people are scared
of higher education when you start digging into those types
of roots. And I think it's such a big conversation
and I love this again. I'm definitely one of those like, yeah,
they did pick the shortest month of the year. I
think it's convenient though true. Sure, sure it was picked
(16:35):
out originally because of that, but maybe a little bit
of a conspiracy. Theoris was like, but if we have to,
let's say it's for this like type of like underbreath
type of thing. But you know, that's just my take
on that. Especially knowing that even a month that has
only like three days, less than a lot of the
(16:55):
others still can't be celebrated is an absurdity in itself.
But yeah, this kind of kind of narrative is that
bigger conversation of why it is important that this happens.
The fact that I didn't learn until in my career
in my thirties about Juneteenth and why that was so
(17:18):
important and why it is so important, and it's still
mocked today by many of the conservatives in general, not
like the what we would call moderate racists. I hate
to put it in that caveat, but can't see that
as a serious thing because a part of this ingrained
(17:38):
racism that has been embedded into our schools.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Yeah. Yeah, And one of the things that a lot
of the people when I was reading about this said,
which we're going to get into in a minute, but
the US is not the only country that has Black
History Month. Is that a lot of it happened because
(18:05):
black people and organizations realized this lack of knowledge, But
they also were like, you know, when I was growing up,
I didn't see myself in history and made me think
that it didn't what I did didn't matter, like nothing,
like if you don't see yourself, even though we do
(18:27):
know that black people played fundamental roles in so many ways,
if you don't see it in the history, it's important
to know that history right.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
And then when we see it in history, it's oftentimes
whitewash that there was a white person who was the
actual hero in this story. Like when we talk about
abolition and when we talk about revolution within the Civil
Rights and Civil War, both of those eras, we still
see a lot of white people and not in black
people being highlighted more than those who have pulled themselves
(19:01):
through and became the revolutionaries. Like that is that conversation too,
The amount of people that we look like Abraham Lincoln
being a champion of the end of slavery's like you
know what I mean, Like, yeah, sure, like he finally,
but he did it in part not because he cared
about freedom, but other political motivations in the conversation. And
(19:25):
that's kind of this level of like who we're giving
the accolades to, who we're giving credit to. So if
we have to credit anything as good, then it needs
to be given to the white man, right, Like that's
kind of that level that we see, especially when we
talk about it in historical context in public education.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Yeah. Yeah, And I mean that's the thing that happens
a lot when we're as an intersectional feminist podcast, when
you're talking about feminism and white feminism, is that black
women we're doing this work for so long, right, not
getting the credit, the attention, not getting mentioned in textbooks
(20:05):
like they should be now because they were doing they
were laying the groundwork, they were doing all of the work,
and just not mentioned in a class at all. So,
(20:31):
as I said, the US is not the only country
with Black History Month. The UK started celebrating it in
October of nineteen eighty seven. That was the year that
marked the one hundred and fifty years since slavery had
been abolished in the Caribbean. A refugee from Ghana and
(20:51):
the UK named Aquaba A de Sabot was the architect
of the whole thing. Like Woodson, he wanted to see
and celebrate rit more black history. Canada, Germany, and Ireland
celebrate Black History Month. Two. Celebrations in Canada started in
the nineteen eighties, but it was officially recognized across the
(21:12):
country after Canada's first black male senator, Donald Oliver, introduced
a motion to recognize it in the month of February
in two thousand and eight. Germany started celebrating it in
nineteen ninety thanks to the work of activist organizations. Ireland
started officially celebrating it in twenty fourteen. All of this
(21:33):
would not have been possible without the work and dedication
of the black people and organizations working to preserve and
celebrate this history. And it really is important in a
lot of ways, like knowing the history so as not
to repeat the same mistakes, but also just knowing the
contributions of black people throughout and seeing that and learning
(21:56):
that as kids as adults. This has been primary an
episode focused on Black History Month in the United States,
but listeners please write in I got really in the
weeds about how, especially Germany's Black History Month happened, but
it was too much for me to, I would have
(22:16):
had to do a lot more research, but I would
love to know more about it, and I would love
to know what it looks like in other countries. I
know you also have themes and also if there's another
if other countries celebrate it, maybe not on a strictly
official level, we would love to hear about that too.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Right, I mean a lot of this is in First
of all, it took over one hundred years, over one
hundred years from the original week in the US to
be acknowledged to be a month, and he was hoping
for a year, which is the saddest thing I think
I've ever heard in my life, and I'm sorry, one
of the saddest things. But it is interesting, especially when
you go into like the European areas, the Sea Black
(23:01):
History Month being talked about or even acknowledged, when you
have a lot of places that uses blackface as a
part of some of their celebrations. So you're like WHOA,
and a lot of like, I don't know if this
is this could just be like the few things that
I've seen, but a lot of people just accepted us
it's historical and you're like yeah, yeah, So like you
(23:27):
have a big like pause and in this like moment
of conversation, especially when we also talk about and then
we've talked about this many before, where areas they say
they have like less incidents of racism or less like concerns.
It's not because it's less racist, it's just because there's
not a lot of minorities or those of marginalized communities
in those areas. And I'm saying talking about specific states
(23:48):
in this country as well, like when we've talked about
like records lynchings, I talked about my hometown having one
of the lowest records, which is amazing because they are
really backwards and racist in a big Trump country. But
that's because not many black people lived there, and that's why.
So that's why they can boast this level of conversation.
(24:08):
And if you talk about to people, including my people
that are still alive today, talk about the fact how
racist they were and they threatened the black community telling
them don't come here, you will die here, like that
was plainly known, and the fact that they can remember
it because they heard it and knew it themselves, and
they're still very much alive and well and still can't
understand why the black community is like, no, we're not equal.
(24:31):
You have not treated us equally. There was no equity here,
and we need this. But it is interesting to see
in these conversations in this context of who is actually
understanding the importance and the need for things like Black
History Month or Black History being known at all and
undoing a lot of the historical bad. Interestingly, I just
(24:53):
had something pop up on my FYP talking about that
the moderates really are part of the motives of why
things go as bad because a lot of the times
we see moderates want to toe the line and keep peace.
But keep peace means giving in and allowing for those
who are the most extreme to do their most extreme
(25:16):
and violent things in hopes to keep peace for themselves
because they're not as in danger as those who are
the more marginalized communities. And that's what with this conversation
is like we have not learned because we don't talk
about it. Instead, we give credit to them for not
being like racists are violent themselves, you know what I'm saying,
but not acknowledging that they didn't do anything either. They
(25:37):
allowed it. And this is kind of that level of
like this can be seen back to the Civil War,
the enslavement, colonization, all that like this, like this doesn't
feel right, But I don't want to push the boundaries
too hard because you know, I'm not really being affected,
but I do think this is wrong type of context.
And when we lose that and when we lose those
(26:00):
conversations and what the results were when those things happen,
we continue to repeat those atrocities as we see.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Yeah, yeah, and that's why this is important. The history
is important. The history is important. And as we said,
all we're going to celebrate Black History Months, but also
all year.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
We're intersectional. We know we have to talk.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
That's what it is, that's what it's about. But yeah,
I really would love to hear from other listeners from
other countries but also in the US. How is it
looking for you? Happy Black History Month? I know it's
a mess right now, but hopefully you're finding because there's
(26:57):
a lot of events and unity that can happen and
all that stuff. So just let us know, let us
know what's going on, what you're thinking about. Uh, if
you want us to come back and talk about more
of the history of Black History Month and these other countries,
let us know it. Just take a little bit more
works like this is a lot of German history that
(27:20):
I'm gonna have to familiarize myself with. But yes, listeners,
you can write into us at Hello at stuff onever
told You dot com and yes, thank you to the
listeners who did write in about this. You can find
us on Blue Sky at mom Stuff podcast, or on
Instagram and TikTok at stuff when We Never Told You.
(27:41):
We're also on YouTube. We have some merchandise at com hero,
and we have a book you can get wherever you
get your books. Thanks as always too, our super dis
Christina are executive for Sumaya and our contributor Joey. Thank
you and thanks to you for listening Stuff I've Never
Told You inspection of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts
from my heart Radio, you can check out the heart
Radio app, Apple podcast, or you listen to your favorite
(28:01):
shows
Hey, this is Sanny and Samantha, and.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome to stuff I never told you a protection of iHeartRadio.
And today, as we record this, it is February third,
twenty twenty six, and this is our first what we
call full episode of February, although it will be shorter,
(00:29):
and that means we are entering Black History Month. Yes,
despite what our current administration in the US says, Sminty
is going to be here celebrating all the time, not
just during Black History Month, but also showcasing Black History Month.
And in the face of so much regression, of so
(00:50):
much erasure, of the loss of DEI policies of school curriculums,
further backtracking on teaching Black history, it got me thinking
about the history of Black History Month. And yeah, and interestingly,
I mean it makes sense some of you have recently
written in about it, and I was like, oh, timing, yes, yes,
(01:15):
because we have commented before on this show and that
Black History Month is in February, because February is the
shortest month of the year. But that is actually not
the case. So let us set the record straight. But
before we do, here's a bit of a disclaimer. Sometimes
(01:37):
we've run into this issue on Smanty wherein we want
to talk about important things, but there's language in the
history that we are not sure as appropriate for us
to say in this case as non black people. So
that being said, there are some organizational and outlet names
in here that I'm going to refer to by their
(01:58):
current names because they did change their name as the
times changed, and not what they were called back then.
And we do go back and forth on this because
we don't want to erase the history of it, but
it also just doesn't feel right for us to say it.
But I know people do go back and forth about it.
(02:19):
We had a back and forth about it when we
were doing the audio book. We were like, what, what's
the correct answer here?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yes, because we definitely don't want to erase any of
the connotations or the beginnings. But just like in anything,
when we see growth and when we understand a better terminology,
that we have to grow with it, and we have
to acknowledge it, and we have to acknowledge the problems
of it as it began. But also like trying to
(02:50):
take the scholastic understanding and going and a farming and
putting in history as it was, this back and forth,
but also feeling uncomfortable, especially for and I will speak
for myself, but I think any understands coming from a
family or an area where they are negative terms and
(03:12):
they are used in to degrade others and in a
racially motivated way. So anything in that I'm traumatized and
scarred by so feel so opposed for it because I
have seen it, used to it so hatefully that I
want nothing to do with it. So it's kind of
one of those things that you go back to. But
I am a professional. We have research or we understand
(03:35):
where this comes from. But at the same time we
understand the darkness of it all. So this, like what
feels comfortable to us versus what is respectful, is a
whole mixed bag.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It is, it is, and I know people have different
opinions on it, and also I mean a whole separate episode.
But the idea of what the internet can run with, right,
you say it, And it's not like AI can't generate
my voice saying it, unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Right, But we don't want to give them more, Amma. No,
not that anybody cares enough about us, but just saying.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
No, not yet, not yet, but yes, just so you know,
I this is going to be a very succinct history
of Black History Months and how it came to be.
But I do recommend that you look it up and
you can see the history of how the terminology changed
(04:35):
and everything like that. All Right, So here in the US,
Black History Month takes place in February every year and
is meant to uplift and remember the accomplishments of black
folks throughout history. As listeners probably know, there is discussion
about how Black History should be all year, which we
believe totally true. But it is also case of spotlighting
(05:01):
history that has for so long been erased or dismissed,
and it was kind of a fight to get this
whole thing established. So the history of Black History Month
goes back to nineteen twenty six. Doctor Carter G. Woodson
is viewed as the father of black history. He was
the second black American to get a PhD in history
(05:22):
from Harvard. He was born in eighteen seventy five and
his parents were previously enslaved. He was able to pursue
opportunities in education like Harvard, and he went on to
teach at Howard University. However, during his studies, he noticed
that black history was seriously underrepresented if it was represented
(05:43):
at all. It was a goal of his to educate
people about the accomplishments, contributions, and history of black people
in America, and he was also concerned with Americans rewriting
the historical narrative from a white perspective an erasing Black history.
So to combat this, one of the ideas he had
(06:08):
was designating a specific time to really highlight black history,
and in his original idea, he wanted to set aside
a week in public schools to focus on black history.
He chose the second week of February as African American
History Week, which again is not what it was originally called,
but I'm going to go with African American because that's
(06:30):
what they go with now, and called on some of
the members of the Association for the Study of African
American Life and History or the ASALH to help him
make it happen, and this was a foundation he helped
start in nineteen fifteen. His main goals were both a
celebration of black history and that it would be studied
(06:52):
seriously in an academic sense, because at the time, not
only was there a lack of academic focus, textbooks just
did not included at all. The ASALH was co founded
by George Cleveland Hall, William B. Hartgrove, Jesse E. Morland,
Alexander L. Jackson, and James E. Stamps. And the story
(07:14):
goes that in nineteen fifteen, Woodson was in Chicago, a
home of his alma mater, because he also went to
the University of Chicago, not just Harvard, to celebrate the
fiftieth anniversary of emancipation in the United States, a celebration
that the state of Illinois was sponsoring, and it lasted
for three weeks. Thousands attended, and the whole thing was
(07:35):
this huge source of inspiration for him. He and the
organization really pushed for more coverage of black history, publishing
work and spreading the word. The ASALH stepped up, providing materials,
lesson plans, whatever they could because people were really interested
in it. Woodson pushed bulletins, he established themes with the
(07:59):
help of those like Mariam Cloud Bethune, who we did
we've talked about before mentioned in our book. Over time,
the week became more and more normalized and accepted in
the US. During the nineteen twenties, black people in the
United States were in more cities across the country, and
the black middle class was growing. They were partaking in
(08:22):
mediums and art created for black people. The Harlem Renaissance
was happening. A demand grew for more materials about black history,
for more history, and black history clubs started to spring up.
People were like really glamoring for it. However, Woodson had
(08:42):
some complaints about some of this. He was worried that
less than educated individuals are those that were just trying
to get in on the moment, we're doing the movement
a disservice or outright harm. Notably, he was also a
believer that this whole thing would transition into year long
(09:07):
teachings of black history. That's what he wanted. He wanted
to start this and then it would grow. By the sixties,
freedom schools in the South had fully embraced the black
history curriculum, but still the most popular eighth grade US
history book textbook only mentioned two black people in the
(09:30):
entire section covering this century after the Civil War. So
some colleges and universities expanded beyond the week and they
started to embrace a whole month Black History Month. This
was during the time of civil rights in the US
and many protests were happening around racial inequality and anti imperialism,
(09:54):
and these protests helped pave the way for Black History Month.
So in places where it was not accepted, teachers would
hide Woodson's textbooks in schools. Freedom schools, Yes, made sure
Black history was a part of the curriculum. And when
we talk about the power of education and why it
is so concerning what we're seeing in the US with
(10:17):
book bands and rolling back CRT or critical race theory
or even just black history in schools, this is what
we're talking about. It's very concerning. However, at this point,
Black History Month wasn't yet official on the federal level.
That didn't change until the country's bi centennial in nineteen
seventy six, when then President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized
(10:42):
Black History Month. In part of his statement about it,
he said, seized the opportunity to honor the two often
neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor
throughout our history. In February of nineteen eighty six, Congress
passed a public law recognizing the second month of the
year as Black History Month. This not only impacted schools,
(11:05):
but public parks museums, libraries, etc. The beginning of nineteen
ninety six, US presidents started releasing proclamations of Black History
Month every year. The first one was specifically celebrating the
(11:27):
achievements of black women. I thought was interesting, and this
brings us to the question of the timing. Why is
Black History Month in February. It's because the second week
of February that was originally celebrated coincided with the birthdays
of two people, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas, both important
(11:48):
to Black history. Lincoln for his role in the emancipation
of those enslaved in the United States, Douglas for his
significant role in the abolitionist movement. I believe their birthdays
are the twelfth and fourteenth, respectively. President Obama was the
first black president still the only black president to address
it in twenty sixteen, and just like with a lot
(12:11):
of things we talk about, Black History Month has a
theme every year. This year the theme is a Century
of Black History Commemorations. Here's a quote from the Asalh site.
To understand the modern world, especially nations where black peoples
form a significant population, one must grapple with the impact
(12:35):
that the public observances have had on the past and
the present. This year, when we are also commemorating the
two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the United States Independence,
it is important to tell not only an inclusive history,
but an accurate one. We have never had more need
to examine the role of Black History Month than we
(12:56):
do when forces weary of democracies seek to use legislative
means and book bands to excise Black history from America's
schools and public culture. Black History's value is not its
contribution to mainstream historical narratives, but its resonance in the
lives of black people. Yeah, and when talking about why
(13:19):
Black History Month matters, there are a lot of articles
that argue while we should yes teach black history all year,
black History Month is a reminder. It's a call to
remember history that has often been whitewashed or erased. As
we said, this is especially important right now when the
(13:39):
current US administration is going out of its way to acknowledge,
to not acknowledge, Black History Month, and removing plaques about
slavery and national parks. The John F. Kennedy Center for
the Performing Arts has no scheduled Black History Month events,
despite it being the one hundredth anniversary, we see continued
(14:02):
attacks on diversity initiatives and black history and public schools.
New regulations forced federal agencies to remove certain parts of
black history because, according to the administration, they paint the
US as quote inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
It's interesting because I've been seeing a few mentions here
and there about how textbooks in the past and currently
are founded based on white supremacist teachings and narratives. They're
talking about the Reconstruction and the Civil War and the Antebellum,
like how that all becomes romanticized and becomes a whole
(14:48):
new conversation. I mean, I still vividly remember my AP
history teacher. You're talking about how the Civil War was
about state rights, and we were all like, yeah, sure, yeah.
To be fair, I was the only non white person
in that class, so nobody was going to push back
on that, and I had no idea what was happening
because we barely talked about it. But there has been
more studies. One specific historian, Donald Yakovin yac O v
(15:12):
O n E. Yeah, y'all know, specifically researched and looked
over like years and years and years of textbooks and
calls out what has happened and what has been happening
in a way that is so amazing to me that
we're finally seeing the background of like, okay, okay, no,
(15:32):
this is why we say we need specific months, because
you don't teach it and just because you say Civil
Wars taught doesn't mean it's actually being taught. And then
like the historical context of the Daughters of the Confederacy
literally pushing back and speaking to ask textbook writers and
(15:53):
New York publishers who were in charge of textbooks, being like, yeah,
we need to make sure that what we should show
is that the black people, the enslaved people, do not
have the intelligence to be a lead, so that that
can be ingrained and that that level of racism can
be ingrained into kids who are learning. And I'm putting
(16:13):
that in quotes, and which is why people are scared
of higher education when you start digging into those types
of roots. And I think it's such a big conversation
and I love this again. I'm definitely one of those like, yeah,
they did pick the shortest month of the year. I
think it's convenient though true. Sure, sure it was picked
(16:35):
out originally because of that, but maybe a little bit
of a conspiracy. Theoris was like, but if we have to,
let's say it's for this like type of like underbreath
type of thing. But you know, that's just my take
on that. Especially knowing that even a month that has
only like three days, less than a lot of the
(16:55):
others still can't be celebrated is an absurdity in itself.
But yeah, this kind of kind of narrative is that
bigger conversation of why it is important that this happens.
The fact that I didn't learn until in my career
in my thirties about Juneteenth and why that was so
(17:18):
important and why it is so important, and it's still
mocked today by many of the conservatives in general, not
like the what we would call moderate racists. I hate
to put it in that caveat, but can't see that
as a serious thing because a part of this ingrained
(17:38):
racism that has been embedded into our schools.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Yeah. Yeah, And one of the things that a lot
of the people when I was reading about this said,
which we're going to get into in a minute, but
the US is not the only country that has Black
History Month. Is that a lot of it happened because
(18:05):
black people and organizations realized this lack of knowledge, But
they also were like, you know, when I was growing up,
I didn't see myself in history and made me think
that it didn't what I did didn't matter, like nothing,
like if you don't see yourself, even though we do
(18:27):
know that black people played fundamental roles in so many ways,
if you don't see it in the history, it's important
to know that history right.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
And then when we see it in history, it's oftentimes
whitewash that there was a white person who was the
actual hero in this story. Like when we talk about
abolition and when we talk about revolution within the Civil
Rights and Civil War, both of those eras, we still
see a lot of white people and not in black
people being highlighted more than those who have pulled themselves
(19:01):
through and became the revolutionaries. Like that is that conversation too,
The amount of people that we look like Abraham Lincoln
being a champion of the end of slavery's like you
know what I mean, Like, yeah, sure, like he finally,
but he did it in part not because he cared
about freedom, but other political motivations in the conversation. And
(19:25):
that's kind of this level of like who we're giving
the accolades to, who we're giving credit to. So if
we have to credit anything as good, then it needs
to be given to the white man, right, Like that's
kind of that level that we see, especially when we
talk about it in historical context in public education.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Yeah. Yeah, And I mean that's the thing that happens
a lot when we're as an intersectional feminist podcast, when
you're talking about feminism and white feminism, is that black
women we're doing this work for so long, right, not
getting the credit, the attention, not getting mentioned in textbooks
(20:05):
like they should be now because they were doing they
were laying the groundwork, they were doing all of the work,
and just not mentioned in a class at all. So,
(20:31):
as I said, the US is not the only country
with Black History Month. The UK started celebrating it in
October of nineteen eighty seven. That was the year that
marked the one hundred and fifty years since slavery had
been abolished in the Caribbean. A refugee from Ghana and
(20:51):
the UK named Aquaba A de Sabot was the architect
of the whole thing. Like Woodson, he wanted to see
and celebrate rit more black history. Canada, Germany, and Ireland
celebrate Black History Month. Two. Celebrations in Canada started in
the nineteen eighties, but it was officially recognized across the
(21:12):
country after Canada's first black male senator, Donald Oliver, introduced
a motion to recognize it in the month of February
in two thousand and eight. Germany started celebrating it in
nineteen ninety thanks to the work of activist organizations. Ireland
started officially celebrating it in twenty fourteen. All of this
(21:33):
would not have been possible without the work and dedication
of the black people and organizations working to preserve and
celebrate this history. And it really is important in a
lot of ways, like knowing the history so as not
to repeat the same mistakes, but also just knowing the
contributions of black people throughout and seeing that and learning
(21:56):
that as kids as adults. This has been primary an
episode focused on Black History Month in the United States,
but listeners please write in I got really in the
weeds about how, especially Germany's Black History Month happened, but
it was too much for me to, I would have
(22:16):
had to do a lot more research, but I would
love to know more about it, and I would love
to know what it looks like in other countries. I
know you also have themes and also if there's another
if other countries celebrate it, maybe not on a strictly
official level, we would love to hear about that too.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Right, I mean a lot of this is in First
of all, it took over one hundred years, over one
hundred years from the original week in the US to
be acknowledged to be a month, and he was hoping
for a year, which is the saddest thing I think
I've ever heard in my life, and I'm sorry, one
of the saddest things. But it is interesting, especially when
you go into like the European areas, the Sea Black
(23:01):
History Month being talked about or even acknowledged, when you
have a lot of places that uses blackface as a
part of some of their celebrations. So you're like WHOA,
and a lot of like, I don't know if this
is this could just be like the few things that
I've seen, but a lot of people just accepted us
it's historical and you're like yeah, yeah, So like you
(23:27):
have a big like pause and in this like moment
of conversation, especially when we also talk about and then
we've talked about this many before, where areas they say
they have like less incidents of racism or less like concerns.
It's not because it's less racist, it's just because there's
not a lot of minorities or those of marginalized communities
in those areas. And I'm saying talking about specific states
(23:48):
in this country as well, like when we've talked about
like records lynchings, I talked about my hometown having one
of the lowest records, which is amazing because they are
really backwards and racist in a big Trump country. But
that's because not many black people lived there, and that's why.
So that's why they can boast this level of conversation.
(24:08):
And if you talk about to people, including my people
that are still alive today, talk about the fact how
racist they were and they threatened the black community telling
them don't come here, you will die here, like that
was plainly known, and the fact that they can remember
it because they heard it and knew it themselves, and
they're still very much alive and well and still can't
understand why the black community is like, no, we're not equal.
(24:31):
You have not treated us equally. There was no equity here,
and we need this. But it is interesting to see
in these conversations in this context of who is actually
understanding the importance and the need for things like Black
History Month or Black History being known at all and
undoing a lot of the historical bad. Interestingly, I just
(24:53):
had something pop up on my FYP talking about that
the moderates really are part of the motives of why
things go as bad because a lot of the times
we see moderates want to toe the line and keep peace.
But keep peace means giving in and allowing for those
who are the most extreme to do their most extreme
(25:16):
and violent things in hopes to keep peace for themselves
because they're not as in danger as those who are
the more marginalized communities. And that's what with this conversation
is like we have not learned because we don't talk
about it. Instead, we give credit to them for not
being like racists are violent themselves, you know what I'm saying,
but not acknowledging that they didn't do anything either. They
(25:37):
allowed it. And this is kind of that level of
like this can be seen back to the Civil War,
the enslavement, colonization, all that like this, like this doesn't
feel right, But I don't want to push the boundaries
too hard because you know, I'm not really being affected,
but I do think this is wrong type of context.
And when we lose that and when we lose those
(26:00):
conversations and what the results were when those things happen,
we continue to repeat those atrocities as we see.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Yeah, yeah, and that's why this is important. The history
is important. The history is important. And as we said,
all we're going to celebrate Black History Months, but also
all year.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
We're intersectional. We know we have to talk.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
That's what it is, that's what it's about. But yeah,
I really would love to hear from other listeners from
other countries but also in the US. How is it
looking for you? Happy Black History Month? I know it's
a mess right now, but hopefully you're finding because there's
(26:57):
a lot of events and unity that can happen and
all that stuff. So just let us know, let us
know what's going on, what you're thinking about. Uh, if
you want us to come back and talk about more
of the history of Black History Month and these other countries,
let us know it. Just take a little bit more
works like this is a lot of German history that
(27:20):
I'm gonna have to familiarize myself with. But yes, listeners,
you can write into us at Hello at stuff onever
told You dot com and yes, thank you to the
listeners who did write in about this. You can find
us on Blue Sky at mom Stuff podcast, or on
Instagram and TikTok at stuff when We Never Told You.
(27:41):
We're also on YouTube. We have some merchandise at com hero,
and we have a book you can get wherever you
get your books. Thanks as always too, our super dis
Christina are executive for Sumaya and our contributor Joey. Thank
you and thanks to you for listening Stuff I've Never
Told You inspection of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts
from my heart Radio, you can check out the heart
Radio app, Apple podcast, or you listen to your favorite
(28:01):
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