Black History Month is a time to pay tribute and remember important Black figures who paved the way. SOHH, how well do you know your Black history? Take this quiz and find out!
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In honor of Black History Month, SOHH spotlighted ten of the best Black innovators within the entertainment, media, and lifestyle industries. The list includes noted filmmakers, authors, and artists. With Black History Month underway, SOHH has put together a list to celebrate ten of the best Black creators in the media and lifestyle space: Robert […]
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Today marks the start of the 46th year of celebrating Black History Month. This tradition originally began as “Negro History Week.” Dr. Carter G. Woodson felt that African Americans were not being educated enough about their ancestors’ achievements and history, so he started the historical celebration in 1926.
For assistance in spreading the word about “Negro History Week,” which took place in February 1926, Woodson went to his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. Given that both Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass share a birthdate in February, Woodson decided for that month over all others in the calendar year.
The Woodson idea was adopted by institutions and groups all around the country. Woodson, however, had trouble locating course materials and creating a curriculum. Woodson came to the conclusion that a week of festivities was insufficient to adequately recognize the accomplishments of the past. Woodson starts to push for the expansion of Negro History Week in the early 1940s.
Dr. Woodson was born to former slaves James and Eliza Riddle Woodson in Dec. 1875. Early in his life, he worked on the family farm and in the Kentucky coal mines, beginning his education at 20 and graduating high school in less than two years. Woodson would earn a Bachelor of Arts and Master’s Degrees from the University of Chicago in 1908. He would later achieve his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912. He would go on to teach at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and the city’s branch of the NAACP. After a disagreement with their policies, Woodson moved on to found the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which published The Journal of Negro History in 1916, leading to Negro History Week.
Dr. Carter G. Woodson passed away from a heart attack on April 3, 1950. More individuals started to support the idea that Black History Month should be extended as Black history continued to be important in the community, and issues like civil rights and The Black Panthers came to light in the 1960s. The Association for the Study of African American History decided to officially change the week-long celebration to a month on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the week in question, naming February Black History Month.
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Los Angeles Instagram exhibit to showcase Black History of Memes.
From the evolution of photos and GIFs, to short videos, the Black meme community has become a pivotal part of pop culture on social media. Over the last decade, the way Black people share memes is an expression of ourselves — of who we are, and how we feel at a certain moment in time.
Afro Surrealist, artist Alim Smith is debuting a collection of meme portraits at a Instagram pop-up exhibit, titled Family Reunion.
“I feel like the emotions that I chose really capture pandemic energy. They capture how the world feels right now to me, at least, or what the world looks like to me right now,” Smith shared.
To honor our evolution and cultural impact, the new exhibit celebrating Black memes is slated to open on February 23 in Los Angeles.
The gallery will pay homage to the hall of famers of Black meme culture including Kayla Nicole Jones, Kalin Elisa, Sweet Brown, Soulja Boy, Viola Davis, and more.
Check out some of the images featured in the Black History of Memes exhibit below. For more info visit the website here.
Continue the conversation and share your thoughts with us on social media.
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As of Monday, Nike dropped some new Black History Month merch collection that is part of their “17-year tradition of driving conversations about justice, education, and innovation.” The collection includes three new Air Force 1 Low FM sneaker colorways created by Black designers who seek to provide visibility for Black History, heritage, and momentum to […]
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February is celebrated as Black History Month and we want to take the time out to run down what will and what won’t be on your TV screen this week. The Proud Family Reboots Gets A Release Date The Proud Family is getting an official reboot and 90s babies couldn’t be happier. The Proud Family: […]
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T-Pain is among many celebrities showing their criticisms of Black History Month. Kanye and other stars declared on his Instagram earlier this week that this month is “Black Future Month.” Recently, T-Pain was caught giving his two cents about BHM, believing that people should stop celebrating Black History for just one month.
TMZ caught up with T-Pain while in the airport, where he was asked about BHM and the recent bomb threats at HBCUs.
“[White people should] stop celebrating it. I don’t think we should celebrate Black History Month. I think we should just have history,” he said. T-Pain went on, saying: “You [are] separating us again! We want to be part of history, not just one month of it. I’d rather everybody stop celebrating that s**t and just let us be part of history. And if you haven’t paid attention, it’s the shortest month of the year.”
When addressing the recent HBCU bomb threats, T-Pain said that he’s not surprised that they happened, but the only way things like that will stop happening is if “we [Black people] make our own sh*t.” He added that just because a school is considered an HBCU doesn’t mean Black people own it.
You can watch the full clip below.
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ESPN The Undefeated “Black History Always” Collection. Through Black History, We All Win.
In a world where there are many content offerings to choose from, the issue of “relevance” serves as a critical factor in determining whether viewers will tune in and stay tuned in. To many, Black history has been and remains misunderstood because Black history is more than stories and rituals shared by Black people for Black people during specific periods of the year. Black history is always — it remains relevant for all people.
Fortunately, the value and importance of Black history and culture are understood and appreciated by certain programmers, networks, publishers, and advertisers. As the premier television network in sports, ESPN understands the fact that true history, inclusive of Black history, is undefeated. Hence, ESPN+ brings multiplatform content via the Undefeated “Black History Always” initiative to explore the intersections of sports, race, and culture. Celebrating themes of the everyday acts of bravery and sacrifice that have always been the engine of Black progress, and highlighting the unsung role of Black women in the struggle for full equality, The Source supports and salutes ESPN in their efforts to sharpen and strengthen the cultural ties that brings us all together. We, too, believe that Black History is not limited to only one month a year.
Black history is not only important during the month of February (coincidentally, the shortest month of the year). It’s important each and every day. Black history is a monumental part of world history and American history that impacts almost every aspect of human society, and it cannot be erased. From the origins of humanity, kingdoms and civilizations formed, the scientific innovations, heroic explorations, human suffrages, protests for humanity, advancements in the arts, culture, health, technology, sports, and more. Every day, Black history is being made as we live through it and shape it directly. Understanding the profound challenges and successes of Black people will impact future generations’ attitudes and value systems. It will also lead to respect and kindness that is much needed today and in the future.
2. Cultural Empowerment.
For people of African ancestry, Back History is a celebration of our success stories. Success and leadership are not limited to the entertainment and sports industries, as many misunderstand. To dive into the traditions and journey through Black History, awakens and empowers many with the cultural understanding and light on those innovators and history makers who helped shaped the world for generations. Throughout history, countless men and women have created, contributed, and inspired culture, from Africa to Europe and here in America, in ways that uplifts and radiates yet these stories and historical facts, big and small, have been covered or mitigated. Celebrating and sharing these stories are inspiring to people from all walks of life and show the cultural connection that empowers us throughout human history.
3. Black History is More Than Slavery.
The Transatlantic Slave Trade and other slave trade missions were indeed an important and tragic part of Black and human history. However, Black History’s extraordinary depth and scope call for a much more expansive presentation of it. From the 1600s to now, there is much more to discuss and cover beyond the slave narratives in America. While it should not be ignored, slavery should not be the sole or primary focus of Black History, as the culture is always creating new stories, achievements, challenges and contributions to society. New history-makers are created daily and Black History must cover more than just slavery and the civil rights periods in America. Our lives wouldn’t be the same if our ancestors did not protest and take risks to disrupt the system and effect change; likewise, our lives would not be the same now if modern day leaders and innovators do not continue to advance the struggle for freedom, justice equity and inclusion. Black History is more than slavery and Black culture is more than just sports and entertainment.
Throughout history in America, Black people have had to fight for the right to learn. Years ago, there were strong and violent prohibitions for Blacks to obtain knowledge and share it with their children and community at large. Blacks were also prohibited from attending certain schools. Likewise, non-Black people were fed misinformation on the heroic journey of Black people. The ability to have an education is one of the most powerful gifts in life, no matter what color of your skin. In today’s multi-media society, people are gaining knowledge from many platforms beyond books of scholarship such as television, radio, websites, podcasts, social media, etc. Influencers are now using these platforms to share their knowledge, especially in the wide world of sports. Whether exploring the key locations in Black History, celebrating the legendary moments and milestones in history, or simply appreciating the inspirational works of Black athletes, artists, and influencers, knowledge is powerful. Celebrating powerful Black people that have impacted and made a difference in our world brings awareness and promotes diversity to show that anyone regardless of race or age can contribute and do something impactful for the culture and can be recognized for it.
5. Darnella Frazier.
The courageous young lady who filmed the murder of George Floyd is the focus of the latest addition to the Black History Always collection in a film called “I Bear Witness”. It was just a walk to the store with her cousin on May 25, 2020, that put her on the scene to witness and capture cell phone footage that sparked a charge all over the world in the fight for truth and justice. The 30-minute program will be seen through the eyes of Frazier’s community and people around the country, including the sports world that was impacted by her video. Tune-in.
Explore ESPN+’s The Undefeated “BLACK HISTORY ALWAYS” initiative expanding on Black History month and deepening Black History all year long across all ESPN+’s and The Undefeated platforms. “This initiative will highlight moments and stories on and off the field that empower and inspire; moments of athletic heroism and moral heroism; moments that signify change and progress, and moments that show us how much work is still to be done. We want to show Black fans that we are always there for them, we represent and reflect them, and we celebrate and appreciate them.” stated Raina Kelley, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of The Undefeated, ESPN’s multimedia content initiative exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture.
This post is a sponsored partnership with ESPN+. For more stories around mental health in sports, visit the Black History Always collection on The Undefeated on ESPN+
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Yep, you read the headline right.
Michigan’s 2022 gubernatorial hopeful, Austin Chenge, announced that if elected, he would cancel Black History Month in the state. Instead, he would have “American History Month.”
On Monday, the army veteran tweeted, “I will cancel #BlackHistoryMonth in #Michigan. It’s offensive, unfair, maybe illegal… Americans from all backgrounds deserve a revered history. I’ll declare American History Month,” he added.
Chenge is the first person to challenge the incumbent Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer. In the past, he has called Whitmer a “dictator” on multiple occasions because of her COVID-19 restrictions. Chenge has taken a lot of heat for his “deeply conservative”‘ views as well as his defense of Donald Trump. He has also vowed to cancel the state’s contract with Dominion Voting Systems, the voting machine manufacturer who Donald Trump claimed was behind “stealing” the election from him. He has also come in support of the insurrectionists at last month’s storming of the U.S. Capitol Building.
If elected, he would be Michigan’s first Black governor.
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The NBA has tipped off its leaguewide celebration of Black History Month. Through the month of February and going forward, the league and each team will honor Black history and support the ongoing pursuit of racial justice by elevating the voices, experiences, and perspectives of Black players, coaches, employees, and fans through various activations across the league and teams.
During February all NBA teams will wear cusom NBA Black History Month warm-ups that feature “BUILT BY BLACK HISTORY.” The “BUILT BY” letters, designed by Nike, were inspired by African quilt patterns while the words “BLACK HISTORY” feature significant years in NBA history when the league’s Black trailblazers broke barriers and stood up for the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.
Those moments and players include:
1950: Chuck Cooper, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, Harold Hunter and Earl Lloyd became the first Black players in the NBA.
1958: Bill Russell was the first Black player to be voted NBA MVP.
1965: Oscar Robertson became the first Black president of the NBPA.
1966: Bill Russell was hired by the Celtics as the NBA’s first Black head coach. The next season he became the first Black coach to win an NBA championship (1968), winning again in 1969.
1972: The Milwaukee Bucks hired Wayne Embry as the NBA’s first Black general manager and team president.
2004: Robert Johnson became the first Black majority owner in U.S. professional sports, purchasing the Charlotte Bobcats expansion team.
2020: A pivotal year for sports and society, the NBA and NBPA agreed that advancing social justice was a shared goal of the 2019-20 season restart. Players, coaches and teams took daily action to confront systemic racism and mobilize record participation in the civic process. The NBA family also came together to form the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition and the first-ever NBA Foundation to address issues of racial injustice and invest in economic empowerment in the Black community.
You can learn more about the league’s celebrations of Black History Month by visiting NBA.com/BHM.
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