Ask The Global Field: How can we celebrate and share Black History Month with our network?
The Global Field answers pressing questions from our grantees, addressing their on-the-field challenges. We guide and offer support to our partners and stakeholders. We further help navigate common community organizational issues.
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Your Question:
Our team is looking for significant ways to celebrate and share Black History Month with our network.
Our Response:
Celebrating Black History to the fullest is understood to be a must. This dedicated time marks a special moment in which historical lessons and events focus on the greatness of the African-American communities of the U.S. Every employee on your team, and person in your network, will benefit when informed about the achievements of black communities. Taking steps to celebrate throughout the month will signal to your network the understanding you have that all the communities you serve need to know that they are appreciated, seen, cared about, listened to, and represented.
What is Black History Month?
Black History Month was unofficially started in 1915, 50 years after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. That year, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASALH) was founded to research and promote the achievement of Black Americans and other people of African descent.
Fast-forward to 1926, the second week of February — which coincides with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass — the ASALH launched national Negro History Week. Over time, this week evolved into what we know today as Black History Month. Early in the event’s history, African-American newspapers lent crucial support. From the event’s initial phase, primary emphasis was placed on encouraging the coordinated teaching of the history of Black Americans in the nation’s public schools.
In the present, Black History Month has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently has been observed in Ireland and the United Kingdom, as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated in February in the United States[4] and Canada,[5] while in Ireland and the United Kingdom it is observed in October.
Ways To Celebrate Black History Month
Encourage Your Network to Learn About Black History in Their Communities
Show your network the many contributions that black people have made to America, and encourage them to learn more about contributions in your area and in theirs. Exchange and share the knowledge you have about contributions and ask questions: there is much to learn about the rich heritage that black people bring into this world, while building our thought partnership on Black Excellence.
Donate Time And Be A Mentor
Celebrate Black History Month by offering mentorship to at-risk and marginalized youth. Seek out a young person or get involved in an organization to start mentoring. Open up the opportunity to become a mentor to your network partners as you find good organizations with strong track records to get involved with.
For many years, the African-American community was placed at a disadvantage by prejudicial practices like red-lining. While we can’t fix the past, we can certainly do our part in the present to continue to improve equality and opportunity.
Contribute To A Black Philanthropy
Celebrate Black History Month by contributing to an organization or nonprofit that helps the black community. If you’re short on the time it takes to mentor, this is an excellent way to better the world for African-Americans without a huge time commitment. Invite your network partners to rally behind an organization that focuses on an impactful cause that fosters equity and growth, and makes a difference in a community that needs such support.
Harness the power of social media
During Black History Month, encourage your network to use their social media accounts as a platform for raising awareness about Black culture and amplifying the voices of Black-owned businesses. Have teams create powerful posts that celebrate Black History Month with stories and experiences on different platforms to reach out to more people.
PBS Newshour’s “Hidden Histories” story of Eunice Carter, who helped take down one of America’s most notorious mob bosses – is just one example of uplifting historical content that it is important to share. Carter spearheaded an investigation that included raids on brothels across New York City. The evidence gathered led to Luciano’s 1936 conviction on more than 60 counts of forced prostitution. He was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in prison.
You can also utilize social media channels to let everyone know what your company is doing in honor of this special month – from activities you have planned to events you are participating in.
Support Black Founded Businesses In Your Community
What better way to show your support for black excellence and entrepreneurship than by shopping at black-owned businesses? By supporting black-founded businesses, not only are you celebrating the success and empowerment of African-Americans, but you’re also helping to advance society by supporting entrepreneurs who have committed themselves wholeheartedly to their respective endeavors.
100+ Black-owned businesses to support in 2022 and beyond is a resource to start with. It is important to build your own list of businesses and to identify business owners who are adding value to your community. Connecting with sources and spending your shopping dollars locally helps to expand the commerce and job market in the area where you live and work, helping to build wealth among the people you value and serve.
You will be making an impact on others’ lives as well as acknowledging the power of diversity in your community!
Support Black Art And Artists
In several creative industries (such as book publishing, for example), black artists are vastly outnumbered. Celebrate Black History Month by purchasing the works of black artists. This will impact the balance of underrepresentation, one purchase at a time.
Black Art Gallery is one resource; again, try to be intentional as you curate your list of artists and vendors from whom you are purchasing artwork, in order to ensure that the creatives themselves truly benefit from your interest and purchases, as well as, again, investing purchasing dollars in the community you want to benefit.
Invite your network to share in the learning, and pleasure you take, of discovering creators who are new to you. This can also be a Black History Month celebration – using the opportunity to uplift diverse communities and experiences.
Invest In DEI training
DEI training is about as relevant to Black History Month as it gets. What happens all too often is that people treat racial issues like an elephant in the room instead of facing them head-on and taking the time to develop sensitivity and empathy. Investing in DEI is a chance to change that.
DEI experts come equipped with exercises, perspectives, and the skills needed to make sure everyone on the team understands how to mesh properly and learns to always be respectful of each other’s backgrounds and differences.