As the US celebrates its 100th year of National Black History Month, a sense of unease hangs over the education system. Despite last year's proclamation, President Donald Trump has launched a crusade against what he calls "indoctrination" in history lessons, claiming that African American history is meant to promote hatred for the country.
The administration's actions have had a chilling effect on Black history advocates, who see them as unprecedented and scary. States and cities are nervous about retribution from the White House, so even good people are becoming quieter.
However, this has energized civil rights organizations, artists, and academics to engage young people in a full telling of America's story. Hundreds of lectures, teach-ins, and new books - including graphic novels and nonfiction works - have been launched to mark the milestone.
A campaign by DeRay Mckesson, executive director of Campaign Zero, has brought together over 150 teachers across the country to develop a Black History Month curriculum that will ensure young people continue to learn about Black history in an intentional and thoughtful way. This initiative aims to expand access to educational materials and provide resources for educators.
One such resource is a graphic novel that retells the story of Opal Lee, known as "grandmother of Juneteenth." The book, "First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth," is the culmination of Angélique Roché's assiduous archival research. It highlights lesser-known historical figures like William "Gooseneck Bill" McDonald, Texas' first Black millionaire.
Another project aims to train a new generation of Black historians. Jarvis Givens, a professor at Harvard University, has written a book titled "I'll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month." The book examines important themes in Black history and clarifies misconceptions around them. Givens is part of a campaign with Campaign Zero and Afro Charities to teach young students how to record history.
In contrast, Carter G. Woodson, the nation's "father of Black history," would likely be heartened by the renewed interest in his legacy. Born in 1875, Woodson was among the first generation of Black Americans not assigned to bondage at birth. He grew up believing that education was a way to self-empowerment and saw that the memories and culture of less educated Black people were no less valuable.
As the US marks its centennial year of National Black History Month, it's clear that Woodson would be proud of the progress made in promoting Black history. However, he also knew that resistance to teaching Black history was a recurring phenomenon, and that the informal networks of Black people who have always resisted such efforts are still present today.
In this context, the renewed focus on Black history is a strategic move, as Robert Trent Vinson, director of the Carter G. Woodson Institute at the University of Virginia, notes. Resistance to teaching Black history may occur every generation, but with the right approach and network, it can be overcome.
The US has come a long way since Negro History Week was first established in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. However, as we celebrate our 100th year of National Black History Month, it's essential to acknowledge that there is still much work to be done in promoting accurate and inclusive representations of Black history in schools and society at large.
The administration's actions have had a chilling effect on Black history advocates, who see them as unprecedented and scary. States and cities are nervous about retribution from the White House, so even good people are becoming quieter.
However, this has energized civil rights organizations, artists, and academics to engage young people in a full telling of America's story. Hundreds of lectures, teach-ins, and new books - including graphic novels and nonfiction works - have been launched to mark the milestone.
A campaign by DeRay Mckesson, executive director of Campaign Zero, has brought together over 150 teachers across the country to develop a Black History Month curriculum that will ensure young people continue to learn about Black history in an intentional and thoughtful way. This initiative aims to expand access to educational materials and provide resources for educators.
One such resource is a graphic novel that retells the story of Opal Lee, known as "grandmother of Juneteenth." The book, "First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth," is the culmination of Angélique Roché's assiduous archival research. It highlights lesser-known historical figures like William "Gooseneck Bill" McDonald, Texas' first Black millionaire.
Another project aims to train a new generation of Black historians. Jarvis Givens, a professor at Harvard University, has written a book titled "I'll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month." The book examines important themes in Black history and clarifies misconceptions around them. Givens is part of a campaign with Campaign Zero and Afro Charities to teach young students how to record history.
In contrast, Carter G. Woodson, the nation's "father of Black history," would likely be heartened by the renewed interest in his legacy. Born in 1875, Woodson was among the first generation of Black Americans not assigned to bondage at birth. He grew up believing that education was a way to self-empowerment and saw that the memories and culture of less educated Black people were no less valuable.
As the US marks its centennial year of National Black History Month, it's clear that Woodson would be proud of the progress made in promoting Black history. However, he also knew that resistance to teaching Black history was a recurring phenomenon, and that the informal networks of Black people who have always resisted such efforts are still present today.
In this context, the renewed focus on Black history is a strategic move, as Robert Trent Vinson, director of the Carter G. Woodson Institute at the University of Virginia, notes. Resistance to teaching Black history may occur every generation, but with the right approach and network, it can be overcome.
The US has come a long way since Negro History Week was first established in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. However, as we celebrate our 100th year of National Black History Month, it's essential to acknowledge that there is still much work to be done in promoting accurate and inclusive representations of Black history in schools and society at large.
the US is finally getting its act together on teaching Black history! Interesting how a bunch of civil rights organizations, artists, and academics coming together has created all these awesome resources for young people to learn about their heritage. 
I'm loving the graphic novels and nonfiction works that are bringing lesser-known historical figures like Opal Lee to life! 
. We've had Negro History Week since '26, and now we're celebrating 100 years of National Black History Month. That's a lot of history to cram into one month, right? 
. I'm glad DeRay Mckesson is out here building a community of teachers who care about sharing black stories with their students 
they're calling it "indoctrination" but really its just erasing other ppl's histories and experiences 
and its causing a lot of unease among black advocates who are just trying to make sure their communities have a seat at the table 
anyway its good that there are people stepping up to create new resources and materials for kids like deray mckesson and jenkins are doing some real work over here 
I mean, I get that some people might have different opinions about this, but come on, who doesn't want to learn about the struggles and achievements of Black Americans?! 
And that graphic novel about Opal Lee is giving me LIFE! 
I need more books like that!
), it's awesome to see someone else working towards preserving our shared history.
That sounds like a motto I could get behind! 
. On one hand, I think it's awesome that people are coming together to create new resources and initiatives to teach Black history in a more intentional way. It's like, finally! We need to acknowledge the complexities of America's past and give voice to the stories of Black Americans who have been marginalized for so long 
Like, what if they're just more ways for the powers that be to control the narrative and suppress dissenting voices? 
! So, even though this whole "indoctrination" thing is getting everyone worried, it's actually kinda awesome that it's sparking a movement to get people engaged with Black history! I mean, think about it, more folks are finally interested in learning about the real story of America, and that's gotta be a good thing, right? 
Of course, there's still work to be done, but I think it's safe to say that this renewed focus on Black history is a strategic move, and with all these amazing people working together, I'm confident that we'll keep making progress. 
. Like, can't they just chill and let the good people do their thing? I mean, I know some folks might be thinking that Black history is all negative stuff, but that's not true! There's so much awesome stuff too, like Opal Lee's story in that graphic novel... it's dope 
like whats wrong w/ learnin about ur own heritage & culture? 
& instead of makin it easier 4 people to learn abt black history, trump is makin it harder 
I mean, can you believe the US is having a crisis about teaching African American history? Like, what's next? 
Come on! It's like trying to delete Facebook posts from your grandma's timeline... not gonna happen! 
. I remember how Carter G. Woodson was all about promoting education and self-empowerment for Black people, it's crazy that it's still an issue today 
. Maybe instead of fighting against history lessons, they should be teaching more about the struggles and triumphs of Black Americans, like Opal Lee's story in that graphic novel... would do some good, you know?
, but I guess progress is slow and steady, right? 