"During the bicentennial celebrations in 1976, President Gerald Ford declared that February should be dedicated to highlighting the achievements of and challenges faced by Black Americans. The roots of the celebration, however, can be traced back through five decades of activism before Ford's proclamation. In 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson launched "Negro History Week," alarmed that Black Americans' contributions were either being distorted or erased entirely from the nation's story."
"Now a mainstay in schools and cultural institutions, Black History Month has never been without detractors who view it as divisive. Those critiques have been amplified by President Donald Trump, who has complained that the Smithsonian Institution and other museums focus too much on negative aspects of American history, including " how bad Slavery was." His administration has also removed signs and exhibits related to slavery from national parks and cut funding to small archives and museums focused on Black history."
February was designated for highlighting Black Americans' achievements and challenges during the 1976 bicentennial by President Gerald Ford. The observance traces to 1926 when Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week to counter distortion and erasure of Black contributions. Black History Month is now common in schools and cultural institutions but faces detractors who call it divisive. Critiques intensified under President Donald Trump, who complained that museums emphasize negative aspects of American history and whose administration removed slavery exhibits and cut funding to Black history archives. More than a dozen states have limited classroom discussions of Black history, and Florida moved to ban AP African American Studies.
Read at The Washington Post
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