By: Jackie Warner
Oh, America. The labor, sweat, blood, and deaths that went into the infrastructure of this country that for over 400 years has not been presented as transparent and real truth. The efforts, excellence, and memory can’t be crammed into our shortest month in the year– nor can it be recounted forgotten. “Unity and healing must begin with understanding and truth, not ignorance and lies.” -President Joe Biden
As we celebrate what is known as Black History Month in February, let us not forget that EVERY DAY is American History. For too long the whole unfortunate, unfolding of events has not been fully shared owned…not in our history books, educational system, communities, homes, and most importantly not in our walk to unify America together as one. It was not until 1976 that Black History Month was nationally recognized.
The 2021 theme for Black History Month is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.” It is all about the Black family and how it has been “stereotyped and vilified from the days of slavery to our own time.” The month’s focus is on ways in which Black families were separated from their birthplaces through the atrocities of slavery, and the effects this has had and continues to have within the lives of all African Americans.
Not only this month, but each day I urge us as Americans to understand where we have been and where we can go united — yes, we must acknowledge the past and what impacts it has cost us and continues to cost. This month we see movies and educational documentaries about Black history in the United States; and as I have gotten older, I look back at what I did not know about my ancestors and what they endured and died for so that we ALL may be the change – a light that shines so bright that there is no room to continue in darkness and hatred.
I am pleased and encouraged to see that on his first day in office, our president put in place an Executive Order for all United States’ citizens on advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government. “I made it very clear that the moment had arrived as a nation where we face deep racial inequities in America and systemic racism that has plagued our nation for far, far too long,” Joseph R. Biden Jr.
By: Jackie Warner
Career Development Facilitator “Impact, Engage, Grow” Community Matters
