#BlackHistoryMatters
Family,
Happy Black History Month! As we vision and build Black futures, we are deeply committed to the African principle of Sankofa. We know we must embrace and honor the freedom fighters, struggles, and lessons learned from the past as we chart the course forward. Founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926 as Negro History Week, which emanated from the existing birthday celebrations of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass by Black communities on February 12th and 14th respectively, a month-long remembrance initiated by Black Student Union organizers at Kent State University in 1969 began this now time-honored tradition. And, although it was not officially recognized by the U.S. government until 1976, Black History Month has and continues to be an expression of Black autonomy and a claim to our right of self-determination.
Since the birth of Black Lives Matter, as well as the genesis of Scholars for Black Lives, we have always acknowledged that we are but one marker in the long struggle for Black freedom. Our communities of memory—those revolutionary thinkers, organizers, cultural workers, and the everyday people whom struggled before us—continue to serve as a moral resource for us to mobilize.
In this spirit, we are excited to continue our #BlackHistoryMatters campaign with Black Lives Matter-Grassroots this year and deepen our political understanding of Black historical figures, artifacts, and events within the Black freedom tradition.Consistent with last year’s campaign, daily installments will be posted to the @blklivesmatter and @s4blcollective Instagram pages and tagged with #BlackHistoryMatters. We hope that you will like, comment, and share widely as these brief tellings of Black history provide us the inspiration to struggle forward with renewed vigor and vision.
In solidarity,
Charles H.F. Davis III
Founder and Director, Scholars for Black Lives
and
Melina Abdullah
Co-Director, Black Lives Matter-Grassroots
Co-Founder, Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles
