Editor’s note: Dr. Jemar Tisby is the author of the following books:color of compromise,‘, and his upcoming book is ‘spirit of justice” He is a professor of history at Simmons College in Kentucky and frequently writes at: JemarTisby.Substack.com. The views expressed here are his own.read more opinions On CNN.
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As a historian of race, I find Black History Month to be the most wonderful time of the year.
The entire country is paying attention to the people who made Black history and their stories. We plan events, talk about books, and remind people that Black history is very much American history.
But there is a problem with how most of us commemorate Black History Month.
We tend to view Black history as isolated points on a timeline rather than as a coherent, continuous story.
If we look at Black history as a series of individual facts without proper context, we can miss its importance and beauty.
This troubling lack of context is also the reason why so many people think history is boring. If it’s just memorizing names and dates and there’s no compelling story behind it, why bother?
Considering context allows us to address the all-important question of who were the other historical actors who influenced the outcome? What other events were precursors? What were the effects and after-effects?
One example of the importance of context when studying black history is the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.
Most of us remember the story of September 15, 1963, in Birmingham, Alabama, when four black girls in church, Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carol Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley, were killed in a dynamite explosion. I know of some horrific events where people died.
It was an astonishing act of racial terrorism, even in the Jim Crow South.
However, the context suggests that this bombing was one of many carried out in a city that had already earned the infamous nickname of ‘Bobbingham’.
This horrific act was also carried out as part of the response to the Children’s Crusade in May 1963. Hundreds of young people, ranging from middle school to high school, received nonviolent direct action training in preparation for marches and protests. Some of that training took place at his 16th Street Baptist Church.
The images of children being doused with water from fire hoses and police dogs growling at them are etched in the nation’s memory. But the protests were effective, and city officials agreed to an agreement known as the Birmingham Ceasefire Agreement, acquiescing to protesters’ demands for racial desegregation according to a specified date.
The first public school in Birmingham to desegregate was Greymont Elementary School on September 4, just days before the bombing.
The bombing then had the opposite effect than intended. The attack did not threaten racial justice activists. Rather, it emboldened them to try harder and helped mobilize public sentiment for desegregation.
If you only look at one date on your calendar, you’ll miss all of this.
If you want to make the most of Black History Month and understand the larger threads of history, here are some helpful practices.
Go to an art museum…alone.
I know it may take some planning to carve out time and arrange for an afternoon to fly solo, but it’s worth it.
You can linger on artifacts. Read all captions. Sit on the bench and remember that you are studying.
We often have to rush through museums because we are with other people and have to fit into their schedules.
What if we spent all the time we needed to learn history in museums?
Read a book about some aspect of black history.
This is not an exaggeration for people who love to read, but you should never overestimate how many people get random facts online instead of sitting down and reading a book for long periods of time. I learned.
Reading history books from cover to cover, especially those written by actual historians, can help you understand the context and overall timeline of the times.
Learn about people from the past and how they influenced them. Discover the lesser-known and under-appreciated people who played a huge role in shaping the past. It gives you an idea of what political, economic, and social dynamics influenced decisions.
For example, reading Jonathan Eig’s detailed new biography of Martin Luther King Jr. shows us that King was not a mythical figure, but a man who was brilliant in some ways but disappointingly flawed in others. As a person, it will be revealed like every other human being.
Other well-written and researched books include Keisha Blaine’s biography of legendary Mississippi activist Fannie Lou Hamer, Until I Am Free, and Clint Smith’s How the Word is Passed. there is.
You can also check out our Black History Month reading list online.
Alternatively, you can bring history to life with Ask family and friends about historical events and eras.
I remember asking my mother, who was a young teacher in Michigan during the civil rights movement, what she remembered from that time.
Although she lived in the north, her school occasionally received warnings about protests and possible riots. When these notifications came over the PA system, she had to take the class to the hallway and make the kids sit with their hands over their heads in case a rock or brick came in through the window. .
The history we learn from those around us may never make it into books or documentaries, but it adds personal context and significance to the past that we would never have known otherwise.
To make the most of Black History Month, also try: Explaining historical events and people to others, especially children.
Being able to teach others effectively shows that you have a deep understanding of the topic.
Explaining Black history, especially to young people, gives them the opportunity to ask questions in their own way.
Who was that person? Why were they important? Why did they make the choices they did? Why is this important?
When we talk to others about Black history, their questions and curiosity will inspire us to form a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the subject.
finally, Access primary sources.
Much of what we learn about history is filtered through the lenses and perspectives of others. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but primary sources provide us with an unmediated narrative of the past.
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Primary sources are the words and actions taken directly from the historical actors themselves. They are speeches, sermons, songs, letters, notes, and eyewitness accounts from people who were actually there.
Historical documentaries such as Eyes on the Award, African American Voices: A Documentary Reader from Emencipation to the Present, and African American Religious History: A Documentary Witness combine dozens of primary sources into one volume .
We can always learn from others, but there is no substitute for seeing historical behavior for yourself.
Black History Month serves as an annual cultural tradition that highlights people and events that are often overlooked and undervalued.
Rather than sharing a few posts on social media or reading a few articles online, by recognizing history as a continuous, dramatic story rather than just a collection of unconnected dates. You can make the most of Black History Month.