Editors Note:
Writer is a former employee of Refuge Coffee Co.
Growing up, Black History Month was learning about figures such as Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King Jr. I never really understood the importance of the month. I was someone who saw people who looked like me in the history books, year-round. For one month only, Black boys and girls saw themselves and what they could achieve.
Our schools may have taught us to only focus on Black history for a month, but we should take those lessons with us throughout the year.
Finally, the conversations regarding race in America have taken a turn, and it is clear what Black History Month means. A celebratory month is the bare minimum of what Black America deserves, but we should keep it alive.
I still say the wrong things and do not always see my microaggressions. I tread lightly around my Black friends, sometimes putting the weight of my shame onto them. It is no one’s job but our own to educate ourselves on proper allyship. It is a journey that feels never-ending, but taking the time to participate in Black History Month is an excellent first step to truly seeing each other.
Negro History Week started in 1926 to promote and celebrate Black Americans. During the Civil Rights Movement, college campuses turned it into a month-long celebration. Gerald Ford was the first president to recognize the month in 1976. Since then, each year, we participate in Black History Month along with a theme.
In 2021, the theme of “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity” investigates the African diaspora and its connection to the spread of Black families within the U.S. There are so many opportunities for us to step outside of ourselves and explore “Black Family” and our campus history. We need to dig our feet into the ground we walk on.
Ebenezer Baptist Church is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached, and it still holds service today. It is a 12-minute walk to the Auburn Avenue Research Library, which contains specialized references and collections dedicated to African American culture and history. Just 200 feet from the library is the APEX Museum, built-in 1941, which is still operating today and offering tours.
“The mission of the APEX Museum is to interpret and present history from an African American perspective to help all Americans and international visitors better understand and appreciate the contributions of African Americans to America and the world,” the APEX Museum website states.
Right next door is Refuge Coffee. The coffee shop is excellent for studying and good coffee, and it also hosts art exhibits. The cafe will hold an exhibition of “Black Soil’” by Erin Richardson throughout the month. As described on the website, “‘Black Soil’ seeks to highlight the pride and resiliency of Auburn Avenues Black community in the 1950s and 1960s.”
Lastly, Georgia State’s Multicultural Center has excellent resources, not just this month but year-round. Through different virtual and in-person programs such as art, speakers, discussions, film screenings and educational events, the center is a great way to have an open dialogue with students and educators this month.
A month of celebration should shed light on the fight against racism in this country, not dilute it. It is important to have tough conversations and educate yourself, and Black History month is an excellent first step.
