You're Doing Black History Month Wrong

And here's how to get it right.

As a historian of race, I find Black History Month to be the most wonderful time of the year.

The whole country turns its attention toward Black history-makers and their stories. We plan events, talk about books and remind ourselves that Black history is indeed American history.

But there is an issue with how most of us commemorate Black History Month.

Photo Credit: Unseen Histories

We tend to view Black history as isolated points on a timeline instead of a coherent and continuous story.

When we look at Black history as a set of separate facts without their proper context, we can miss the significance — and the beauty — of it.

This troubling lack of context is also why so many people think history is boring. If it’s just memorizing names and dates devoid of the compelling stories that surround them, then why should anyone care?

This article comes from my latest contribution at CNN Opinion. To continue reading click HERE.

How are you commemorating Black History Month or what questions do you have about how to do it? Share in the comments!

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