February 1st is the beginning of Black History Month, a time to honor the profound contributions of Black people throughout history and reflect on the ongoing fight for equality.

The origins of Black History Month trace back to 1915, when Carter G. Woodson, inspired by a national celebration of emancipation in Chicago, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. In 1926, he announced Negro History Week in February.

In 1976, as part of the United States' bicentennial celebrations, (Republican) President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, encouraging Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."

Since then, Black History Month has been celebrated annually in February, expanding its scope to include not just the historical achievements of Black people but their ongoing contributions to society in all fields. It's a month to learn, to celebrate, and to reflect on the incredible legacies Black people have built despite a long history of oppression.

However, 2025 presents a different political landscape—one that seeks to distort the truth of history, erase the contributions of Black people, and denigrate their capabilities.

Under Trump's administration, the celebration of Black History Month has been clouded by political actions that directly undermine efforts toward racial equality. While the President issued a proclamation recognizing the month, his broader executive orders against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs speak louder, as do his blatant directives to remove the truth of America's founding on chattel slavery from history.

In 2025, celebrating Black History Month isn't just about honoring Black legacies—it's an act of defiance against an administration that seeks to erase Black voices, downplay our struggles as a direct consequence of white supremacy, and deny our progress.

The far-right has weaponized terms like "woke," DEI, and CRT to restrict opportunities for Black people and dismantle systems that challenge white supremacy. They've perverted these terms, removing them from their meanings and converting them into dog whistles. DEI and CRT are the boogeymen rich folk use to distract poor folk. You, they say, cannot progress, not because of capitalistic systems of inequality that take supreme advantage of working classes in order to line the pockets of the rich, but because everyone who doesn't look like you is taking your opportunities.

White mediocrity and white supremacy are threatened not only by Black excellence but by Black presence, which is why the far-right has worked tirelessly to distort the language surrounding equality and justice.

Now, it wouldn't be a post from me if I didn't also highlight how crucial this makes media, representation and literacy. Fascism and tyranny rely on the manipulation of language and media at the same time it sows seeds of anti-intellectualism and discourages literacy and education.

We cannot allow language to be manipulated in a way that erases us from the narrative, limits how we are seen, and reduces our rich histories and experiences to a sanitized footnote. As the highest powers in the land seek to make us less educated, less tolerant, and less invested in our own interests, we must become more discerning and intentional in how we engage with the world around us, the communities we belong to, and the stories we consume. We must engage with media, art, literature, and scholarship that highlight the variety of lived experiences of Black people.

I'd love to challenge you all to intentionally celebrate Black History Month this year. This means getting involved in local efforts, whether it's through volunteering your time, supporting Black-owned businesses, or offering resources where they're most needed. It also means engaging with and promoting Black voices in literature, media, and art, exploring works that challenge and celebrate the richness of Black culture. It means educating ourselves and others by seeking out non-fiction that deepens our understanding of Black history and contemporary issues and using these resources to foster greater awareness and empathy. It means using your influence in the spaces where you exist to actively celebrate and amplify Black achievements and the contributions of Black leaders, creators, and activists.

And, of course, I couldn't leave you without sharing some books by Black authors that were at the top of my mind today.

• Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown: A fictionalized memoir from Echo Brown (may she rest in power), which is never far from my mind, especially as I think about the expectations placed on Black women to be strong and to survive everything. As Brown has it, we shouldn't have to be strong, yet she shows you in beautiful language and intimate detail what it means to survive.

• Lakewood by Megan Giddings: A speculative story that pulls from histories of using Black bodies in medical research to explore what someone may be willing to do to get a step ahead. It is also a stark reminder of how complicity in the face of injustice can lead to dire consequences.

• Pet by Akwaeke Emezi: A genre-bending novel that imagines a world where monsters have been eradicated, only to reveal that they still exist, hiding in plain sight. It's a striking exploration of the promises of utopia and the monsters we refuse to acknowledge. It challenges us to accept the responsibility we all share in confronting uncomfortable truths about society.

• We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds: A beautiful coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a small town and a family steeped in tragic history and guarded secrets. It explores the complexities of identity, grief, and reconciliation while diving deep into the dynamics of family, love, and race. Hammonds reminds us that the legacies we inherit are just as important as the ones we create.

• House of Frank by Kay Sinclaire: A cozy-adjacent fantasy that beautifully navigates the space between loss and finding comfort. It examines the complexity of family relationships, the struggle to move forward while honoring the past, and the quiet resilience required to heal.

Happy Black History Month. I hope you find moments of joy, starting with the fact that we all finally made it out of January.

♥️

Marines

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