For generations, Black people in America have faced mortifying acts, including erasure of their existence. We were subjected to other people trying to create narratives that degraded us. Black History Month is a conscious intentionality to remember our ancestors and their marvelous contributions and the telling of “how we got over.” It is to recognize that our beginnings were not established on the shores of this land; we have a great history beyond being colonized and enslaved. We celebrate our history as it is expanding, and we have the opportunity to re-story our own “history.” It serves as a reminder of how strong the people of the African Diaspora from all periods of US History have been, even in the face of insurmountable odds. I suggest that celebrating Black history while encompassing its spirituality and social justice practices presently serves as a method of resistance to those oppressive systems and the powers that be. While we remember “how we get over,” there is much work to be done but there is hope. In the words of this Black church hymn “be not dismayed in whatever betide. God will take care of you.”
COMMENTARY: The Unsung Heroes: Black women’s contributions to service learning
Sean Hewitt and Mecca Madyun pen op-ed in Madison Eagle
