By Savanna Tess, TWR Youth Action Fellow ‘20
TOGETHER, WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE EFFORTS, HISTORIES, AND EXPERIENCES OF BLACK PEOPLE WILL NEVER AGAIN BE OVERLOOKED OR ERASED.
February is Black History Month; a month to celebrate, examine, and learn. Collective memory is important every month, but it is of the utmost importance–now more than ever–to continue the legacy of activists and imaginaries that envisioned a world without the shackles of racism and ignorance. Youth Action Fellow Shahd Joari remarks that “Black History Month is a reminder of finding voice and power against the antagonisms of anti-blackness, and more importantly, for the empowerment of the self.”
Envisioned by a Harvard-educated scholar of the African diaspora, Carter G. Woodson, Black History Month was first established in 1915. Woodson acknowledged the ever-present suppression of Black narratives and accomplishments in both textbooks and mass media. What began as “Negro History Week” blossomed into an internationally celebrated month of remembrance and education to further both the stories and plights that encompass the Black experience.
Through visionaries and authors such as Zora Neale Hurston and James Baldwin, the lasting impact of Black creative expression is immeasurable. The first entry of Black writers in the American publishing industry harkens back to the Colonial Era with slave narratives. Often coined as freedom or liberation narratives, these contributions both healed victims and broke existing facades about the reality of enslavement. Harriet Jacobs’ “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” opened the door for female voices in literature and the memoir genre.
Woodson’s focus on education in his own life and work can be found in a similar vein even today. Oprah Winfrey’s Oprah’s Book Club highlights some of the greatest Black authors and educators of times current and past, like Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison. Winfrey’s concerted effort to give Black literature the recognition it deserves has impacted the direction of modern authors interested in telling their story.
One example is Angie Thomas’ breakout novel, “The Hate U Give,” which became a recent phenomenon due to its targeting a younger demographic. The story shares a fictionalized, but not fantasized, series of events following the unjust death of a Black teenager in a community strife with racial tensions. Thomas wrote to Oprah Winfrey via Twitter saying, “Thank you, @Oprah, for being the biggest inspiration to this poor black girl in Mississippi. Because of you, I knew I could. Because of you, I knew my beginning was not my end. Thank you.”
Youth Action Fellow Chandler Lawton emphasized the importance of expanding representation in literature. She often felt that reading wasn’t “for her” due to the lack of diverse books targeted at the teen demographic. Lawton is encouraged, however, by the recent pushes for “#OwnVoices” novels, where the author from a marginalized community writes from their own perspective, rather than having an outsider write as a character from an under-represented group. Efforts like #OwnVoices have helped her see solidarity in creative expression.
Remembrance is also important in filling the gaps of history. Shahd Joari finds that such “lost history” was a void in her educational experience that she is continually aiming to fill. Organizations like the Amistad System in New Jersey are making efforts to promote the wider implementation of educational programs focused on the under-taught history of the African slave trade, slavery in America, and the various aspects of American society that can be attributed to the Black population. Changing learning standards and setting the bar higher, the Amistad System aims to make a long-lasting impact on K-12 education in America. For Chandler Lawton, finding stories that shared her experiences gave her a “chance to connect with people like [her]” and inspires her to share her own stories.
Supporting the work of young poets and authors aiming to highlight not only the Black experience but also the human experience is vital in maintaining democracy and acknowledging issues within society–past, present, and future. Education and literature are some of the most important vehicles of resistance and reform, and they must be treated as such.
Fellow Joelle Benitha Habiyambere summed up the significance of practicing collective memory when she said, “Let us … be thankful for the gift of diversity and variety that make our universe beautiful.” Together we can remember and uplift Black history, not just in February, but continuously and concretely.
Savanna Tess is 18 years old and currently lives in Dallas, Texas. She is impassioned by atrocities current and past to pay attention to the world around her. Savanna aims to write from her perspective on important topics.
Banner Image Source: https://www.onebozzuto.com/2020/02/11/profiles-in-extraordinary-celebrating-black-history-month/