Black History Month Begins With Reflections on Black America

February is Black History Month. As a month of remembrance and recognition of black American pioneers begins, writers across the spectrum are reflecting on the month’s significance and modern civil rights efforts.

In CNN Opinion, Mark Whitaker reflected on the birth and height of the Black Power movement, writing that the movement “represented attempts by an impatient generation of Black youth to address systemic problems that persisted even after the legislative gains won by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and previous Black leaders.” Reflecting on modern movements in black America, Whitaker determined that “defiant slogans and street protests aren’t enough to bring about lasting change. Clear messaging and policy objectives, internal unity and cross-racial alliances are also essential.”

In The New York Post Opinion, Adam B. Coleman reflected on the perception of Black History Month, warning that the modern progressive political movement pushes a singular narrative that today’s black Americans are “the descendants of the downtrodden who stood idly by until graciously receiving white people’s benevolence.” Coleman determines that black history is “too often articulated only from the perspective of what was done to us and rarely displayed as what we were capable of overcoming,” arguing that too much emphasis on past wrongs impede America’s ability to imagine a better future.

An Axios analysis examined the impact of recently passed bans on critical race theory in certain states, determining that “limitations and fears of repercussions have made it unclear for educators what they can teach during Black History Month.”