We are a month into 2024 and we are yet again in the midst of February, Black History Month of the year.

Black History Month is celebrated throughout the world in countries with a significant black population, especially in America, to honor all black people from all periods of US history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today. From slavery and its abolition to the Great Migration and the civil rights movement, such key moments in black history are acknowledged and commemorated throughout the month.

The precursor to Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February to be “Negro History Week”. This week was chosen because it coincided with the birthday of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and of Frederick Douglass on February 14, both of which dates black communities had celebrated together since the late 19th century.

However, not everyone sees black history month as a gesture of goodwill toward the black population of America. Legendary black actor Morgan Freeman has said he objected to the ghettoisation implicit in devoting February to this topic. Calling both an “insult”, Freeman said, “You’re going to relegate my history to a month?”  Freeman said he objected to “African American” because it was inaccurate.

“I don’t subscribe to that title. Black people have had different titles all the way back to the N-word and I do not know how these things get such a grip, but everyone uses ‘African American’.” 

“What does it really mean? Most Black people in this part of the world are mongrels. And you say Africa as if it’s a country when it’s a continent, like Europe.”

“Black history is American history; they’re completely intertwined.”

“I’m very proud to be Black, but Black is not all I am.” 

Regardless of the semantics, for an outsider from a country with zero black population, whether black history month is solely focused on celebrating black history remains to be seen. Though not all Americans agree with the sentiment, today Black History Month continues the discussion of Black people and their contributions through activities such as museum exhibits and film screenings, and by encouraging the study of achievements by African Americans year-round.

Penned By:

Rtr. Aditha Abeynayake

Editorial Committee Member 23.24