“The great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do. It could scarcely be otherwise, since it is to history that we owe our frames of reference, our identities, and our aspirations.” — James Baldwin (1965)
Black history is American history
Every year, I connect with my Black cultural heritage, not only to honor the contributions African Americans have made to civilization, but to recognize our sacrifices. While February marks the start of Black History month, oftentimes, the achievements of African Americans, within our fight for justice and equity, are overlooked throughout the remainder of the year. Foster a sense of belonging about this world that we all live in and allow history to fertilize our imaginations all year round.
What makes up your own identity? What has shaped your racial and ethnic background? Cultural identity? Gender? Identities and other markers intersect. Intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, Columbia Law School professor, leading scholar of civil rights, and co-founder of the African American Policy Forum, describes it as a lens in which you can see where power comes and collides and where it interlocks and intersects; an overlapping or intersecting of social identities and its affiliation to systems of oppression, domination, or discrimination. In what ways are you assisting your scholars in developing their own identities? Don’t shy away from the conversations about identity and commonalities.
Make sure ALL of your scholars experience belonging and joy
Black is beautiful. Black scholars deserve opportunities to connect their past to their present, engage in enriching experiences, and understand their lives. Their counterparts deserve the chance to learn alongside them, gaining an understanding of the “multiple communities that give our lives meaning” (Neem, 2023).
I challenge you to show joy along with the struggles, because there is much to learn from those who came before us. History surrounds and begs us to ask questions of it, all the while, taking joy in the intellectual curiosity to find its answers. How will scholars learn to become what they want to be in this world without you?
You can research and learn from the following resources:
Additional Resources to Celebrate Black History
Become and belong. Teach scholars that they belong here. Pursue history with scholars and make it come alive! Explore the past, so that they can open the door to the future.
- National Geographic Kids
- Celebrating Black leaders
- Black unsung heroes breaking barriers
- Dolls holding significance and breaking cultural and racial barriers
- The impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- 10 Black pioneers in aviation who broke barriers
What other resources have you found helpful? Share in the comments below!
If you are in need of additional resources or professional learning, feel free to connect with me at ShereeJosephBos@kentisd.org
References:
McCarthy, M. (2022). Editorial. Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, 43 (2), 111–111. https://doi.org/10.1177/15366006221088356
Neem, J. (2023). Connecting Past to Present: The History Major in our Communities. Retrieved from: https://www.historians.org/teaching-and-learning/why-study-history/careers-for-history-majors/connecting-past-to-present
#Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #Belonging #BlackHistory #History #WeLeadLearning #KentISDpd
This blog post was written by Sheree Joseph-Bos, Diversity Consultant from Kent ISD and edited by Amanda Walma, Professional Learning Coordinator from Kent ISD.
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