Black History Month: #SoMuchMore

As many of you know, the month of February is dedicated to the Black community. Patrisse Cullors, Black Lives Matter Co-Founder and Executive Director, recently wrote a beautiful piece contextualizing Black History Month, and reminding us all of its meaning and importance. In her February 1st article entitled Our Movement Is #SoMuchMore, Ms. Cullors writes in part:

“From the time historian Carter Woodson created Negro History Week in 1926 up through today’s celebration of Black History Month, the goal has always been to recognize Black Americans' prolific contributions that had been ignored, dismissed or diminished in textbooks and popular culture. 

The point is to highlight the pivotal role we play in this country's advancement -- from science, math, politics, literature, arts and more -- and convey that our influence on every aspect of society and culture has been greater than what we were taught in history classes. 

The spirit of Black History Month goes beyond achievement. It is also about remembering and demonstrating that our lives and contributions are creative, industrious, transformative and joyful. Given the traumas of the last year, it's important to call out that our experience is about more than the deaths we protest and the pain we hope to heal. Black life is so much more than that. We are not only triumphant and resilient, we deserve to be celebrated and valued. Our minds, our bodies, and our spirits are worthy of real investment.”

If you’d like to continue reading, [please check out her thoughts in their entirety] on the Black Lives Matter website. We thank Patrisse for this wonderful piece that reminds us to pay attention to our own industry, and the work and progress still to be done.

IMAGE PULLED FROM BLACKLIVESMATTER.COM

author: lara freeman-erbin