New Video!-"More than a Meme: The True Significance of Black History Month"
Black History Month is about so much more than random factoids about Black people and events.
I’d love to do more videos like this. I am self-funded, so if you become a paid subscriber, you are directly supporting me in producing more content like this. Thank you!
I’m a historian, so I love Black History Month. I completely understand why people insist we need to commemorate Black history 24/7 and 365. I can absolutely see why people insist that Black history is American history—because it is.
But I also think there is immense value in setting aside one month annually to remember the contributions of Black people to U.S. and global history. Black History Month serves as a cultural tradition that requires us to focus on the distinct ways that Black people have shaped our society, especially since this history has so often been excluded from public memory.
Yet Black History Month too often devolves into merely sharing memes with facts about dates and places where Black people did something notable. There’s nothing wrong with this, but Black history is more than a meme.
Black history is about Black joy, creativity, resilience, hope, love, and possibility. Black History Month should do more than give a timeline of people and events, it should help us understand how the world is a more vibrant place because of the lives and work of Black people.
I share my passion for Black history in this video called “More than a Meme.” (Shout out to my podcast co-host Tyler Burns for the phrase!) Produced in conjunction with the team at Churchome, it takes place in Los Angeles and describes the importance not just of Black history, in general, but of the Black church in particular.
You’ll learn about the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal church in the early 19th century. You also hear about the centrality of First African Methodist Episcopal (F.A.M.E.) Church in Los Angeles, especially during the Rodney King uprisings in 1992.
I’ve got to be honest, Aside from writing, teaching on video is one of my favorite ways to tell stories about the past. I’m working and praying for more opportunities to produce videos like these.
I feel like I'm asking you to do more work when I say, Yes, please! But I find your style of presentation here engaging and personable, and because you're offering this short videos you connect well with a punchy, vivid presentation.
Powerful and so very important. So many other voices attempt to flatten the narrative, distort the perspective or deflect the gaze away from truth. Your voice is like the lemon juice that cleanses and cuts through to clarity and sparks the full flavor to rise up, allowing us to face and learn from the lived experience of our brothers and sisters of color. My gut says that the work is wearying and the weight is heavy at times. But you are much needed and so very appreciated! Thank you, Jemar.