Like many other black Americans, each year, I welcome Black History Month with an eye roll and a sigh.
Since its creation in 1970, Black History Month has been a sort of cultural ritual within the United States. Every February, the public is expected to pore over the achievements of African American figures throughout U.S. history, watch speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr., and focus on the great sin of America: slavery.
While Black History Month is certainly well-intended — and may contain some value to America’s culture — in our new age of artificially imposed diversity it has become yet another occasion that underscores our differences rather than celebrating our diversity.
The entire premise of Black History Month is fundamentally flawed. Black history is American history. And while American history has many different shades, complexities, and imperfections, it remains a grand narrative that reflects our heritage and accomplishments as a nation.
Some of the achievements of major figures lauded during Black History Month reflect this truth well. Consider George Washington Carver, known for innovating the peanut for several uses: oils, sauces, chilis, mayonnaise, and coffee, among others. All Americans — and people around the world — benefit from Carver’s keen genius.
Another example: the inventions of Marie Van Brittan Brown. Brown is credited with creating the first closed-circuit home security system, effectively starting what is now a multibillion-dollar industry, which is projected to grow by $106.3 billion by 2030.
Recognition of African American accomplishments that have long been ignored is valuable. However, these great achievers should be celebrated for embodying American values such as entrepreneurship, innovation, and hard work. Instead, Black History Month asks Americans to focus first and foremost on their race. This insulting reduction of black Americans aligns perfectly with the Left’s obsession with group identity — the importance of the individual is lost.
It’s no wonder that the woke mob loves Black History Month. Each year, we’re bombarded with cheap marketing schemes from Target, Disney, and other virtue-signaling companies determined to prove their woke credentials. One Forbes advice column for corporate leaders pointed to Black History Month as “low hanging fruit” for employers eager to show they “prioritize racial equity, inclusion and antiracism.”
Liberals also hijack the holiday as an excuse to push divisive policies, such as critical race theory and affirmative action, that focus on separation rather than much-needed unity.
The latest darling of Black History Month? So-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) — a warm and fuzzy string of words that promotes racism in the name of benevolence.
As with so much of the ideology driving today’s liberal policies, DEI teaches that immutable characteristics such as race matter more than merit or individual achievement. This argument drives DEI proponents such as Ibram X. Kendi, who argues in his book How to Be an Anti-Racist that “the only remedy to racist discrimination is antiracist discrimination.”
This kind of thinking is deeply intertwined with the ethos of Black History Month, an occasion that segregates black history from American history and places it into its own category.
However, a growing body of evidence suggests more and more black Americans are taking issue with the identity politics at the heart of the holiday. Gallup polling from January found about half of black Americans oppose affirmative action. Major employers are sheepishly walking back their failing DEI initiatives. And the Democratic Party, for all its social justice posturing, is rapidly losing support among black voters.
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Black History Month seems to be losing popularity, too. Morgan Freeman, for example, called the entire concept “ridiculous” and an “insult,” while NBA star Draymond Green argued that “it’s time to get rid of Black History Month.”
I couldn’t agree more. In this era of partisan division, our country doesn’t need a month-long celebration that divides and discourages Americans instead of uniting us. Black history is American history — let’s stop calling it something else.
Christian Watson is the mobilization coordinator for the New Tolerance Campaign. Visit newtolerance.org for more info.