Headline Roundup • February 1st, 2022
News Media Observes Black History Month 2022
Race And Racism,Black History Month,HBCUs,Miguel Cardona,Whoopi Goldberg,Education,Schools,Critical Race Theory,School Boards,Martin Luther King Jr.
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Outlets across the spectrum published news, analysis and opinion articles about Black History Month on Tuesday.
At least 14 historically black colleges and universities received bomb threats on Tuesday. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona reacted on Twitter, saying, “Threats of violence will not be tolerated, period.” As the bomb threats became the lead story around Black History Month, other coverage focused on new state laws regulating how teachers discuss racism. Additionally, prominent black commentator Whoopi Goldberg made top headlines when she apologized for saying that the Holocaust was about ethnicity, not race. The start of Black History Month also coincided with the Lunar New Year, a multi-day celebration in several Asian countries and parts of the U.S.
Several outlets across the spectrum published list articles, such as “Celebrate Black History Month with these 5 newish books” in The Seattle Times (Center). Some of these exhibited bias in story choice; for instance, a Fox News (Right) article began with a tweet celebrating prominent black conservatives. Some coverage from the left criticized racial education laws passed by Republican-controlled state legislatures.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
More than a dozen historically Black colleges and universities on Tuesday closed campus or cancelled classes due to bomb threats on the first day of Black History Month.
The big picture: It was the second day this week and third in the last month that several HBCUs received such threats. By Tuesday afternoon, the majority of the schools had been cleared and no bombs had been found.
The FBI said it was aware of the threats and was working with local law enforcement.
(Robert Abbott Sengstacke/Getty Images)
Every February, the nation celebrates Black History Month by honoring the contributions that African Americans have made throughout history, while also recognizing that the fight for racial justice continues to this day.
This year's theme for Black History Month is Black Health and Wellness, as outlined by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), which is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Many events across the country — in cities, in communities, on college campuses, and more — are scheduled for this month.
Getty Images
Each Feb. 1 marks the beginning of celebration of Black academics, poets, politics, and activists’ contributions to American history. Evolving from Carter G. Woodson’s “Negro History Week,” Black History Month was officially recognized in 1976 to uplift the “too-often neglected accomplishment of Black Americans.” But just as long as there have been efforts to uplift Black history, there have been attempts to discredit and invalidate it as well.
Beginning this year, 14 states have signed provisions into law that restrict teachings of racial justice and Black contributions to American history....
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