For me, there has always been a sense of pride in being Black. There is the pride that is continuously encouraged in the Black community. There’s the pride in uplifting Black voices, artists, and films. Most importantly, there is the pride in celebrating our Black history.
Originally, Black History Month was just celebrated in one week in February to highlight and honor Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass for their important roles in the progression of Black freedom. but as it gained more coverage, it eventually turned into Black History Month — a time to honor and recognize Black people and Black achievements. During a time such as the Civil Rights Movement, Black History Month became a reminder to our Black community to continue fighting because of all the contributions Black Americans have had throughout time. Communities continued to grow to build a strong defense and offense. Celebrating Black history became a way to strengthen communities and remind people to continue fighting back.
In current day, the Civil Rights Movement is technically over, but the actions that took place then are still going on today. In an era of social media, communities are more easily formed and connected. If you’re connected in any way, you’ll know that it’s almost constant that there is always news in the Black community, whether it is positive or negative. The main difference, however, is the constant flood of news and the mix of positivity and negativity. Lately, there’s been more controversy in how the Black community has been represented. There are social media accounts (not to throw names around) that are constantly criticized because they only highlight the parts of the Black community filled with drama, which pushes a large part of the Black community away from associating on social media because of the negative connotations being associated with Black people. On X (formerly Twitter), it’s as though there is a constant race war. There is no true community that is highlighted that brings forth positivity.
Despite all of this, there are still so many beautiful moments to highlight online. The pride that some Black people may feel is gone after seeing constant drama and death is just as quick to come back when they see a young person of color making history. Leah Jeffries recently won an award for her outstanding performance in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, given by the NAACP. Quil Lemons is the youngest photographer to shoot a Vanity Fair cover. And, in 2023, a young 9-year old boy named David Balogun graduated high school. Celebrating Black achievements isn’t reserved just for Black History Month. So many countries outside of America recognize Black history year-round because of how important it is to honor the contributions Black people have given the world. Black pride isn’t just recognized during Black History Month in America, but also in Brazil as Black Consciousness Day, Black Achievement Month in the Netherlands, and Día Internacional de la Mujer Afrodescendiente in Spain.
Having Black pride isn’t just about having pride in yourself — it’s about continually celebrating Black history and Black pride year-round. Black pride goes far beyond Black History Month. That’s why we say “Black History Month is every month,” as a constant reminder to never be ashamed of being Black. Black pride helps push the world forward, advocate for change, and better everyone.
