By Danila Cambanco
Black History Month is an annual celebration in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, dedicated to highlighting the achievements and contributions of African Americans and people of African descent. This month serves as a platform to educate the public about the often overlooked contributions of Black individuals in various fields, including art, science, literature, politics and sports. It offers an opportunity to share stories of resilience, perseverance and excellence that have changed today’s society.
Black History Month originated when Carter Woodson, a well-known academic historian, introduced Black History Week in 1926. This week of commemoration was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of prominent figures in black history, such as Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The week gained so much popularity that later, in the late 1960s, it became what we know today as Black History Month.
But despite the fact there is so much to celebrate, there is nonetheless an ongoing debate about Black History Month. Does it elevate the stories of Black people – or does it concentrate too much on the negative aspects of Black history?
For some people, like 21-year-old basketball player Joel Tarey, it’s necessary because this month offers the opportunity to learn and understand what happened to Black people in the past.
For others, this celebration is unnecessary because they believe that Black history should be celebrated daily, not just in February.
But others say that it concentrates too much on the negative aspects of Black History.
“I don’t see any advantage in celebrating this month, firstly because it seems like we’re celebrating slavery,” said Joshua William, a 24-year-old student.
He said that during this month what is most talked about is slavery. “If the purpose of this month is to praise Black people I think there are many more things that should be talked about, for example our culture, our riches, there are many more things to be talked about but people prefer to remember slavery,” he said.
“For me, slavery is our weakness, and it doesn’t make much sense to celebrate our weakness. The Jews, for example, don’t celebrate the Holocaust because there’s nothing good to celebrate.
“For me, African history is every day and there should be more platforms to promote African history.”
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