It’s that time of the year again when we celebrate the rich, inspiring and soul-shaking history of the Black Americans. It has been 47 years since this month was officially recognized by then-President Gerald R. Ford to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” However, in those 47 years, systematic racism, homophobia, and prejudice remain prevalent issues facing the Black community. Three USC students take a moment to explore and discuss the state of Black History Month in 2024 – its value, its impact and its potential for the future.
“On July 2, 1964, almost 60 years ago, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, outlawing discriminatory hiring practices and outlawing segregation in establishments and public areas like libraries and schools. And now, four years ago in 2020, the public eye was brought to the conversation about police brutality with George Floyd through the rise of mobile phones with cameras, capable of capturing instances of systemic racism once hidden for decades. Yet, despite the openness of racism seen over the last few years, there is a question of why Black History Month should exist.”
- Spartacus Smith
“The unanimous answer is yes, Black History Month is still relevant, but those who agree that Black History Month is still relevant also unanimously answer no to whether Black History Month is enough to celebrate Black excellence in the current climate of the nation.
Individuals who are in an educational setting are surrounded by opportunities to learn about Black History and understand the importance of celebrating Black History during February and beyond, but when you take Black History out of an educational setting, the real meaning of the month becomes blurred by society as they fail to see the importance of actually spreading the accomplishments made and continuing to be made by the Black community.
Black author Esau McCaulley wrote Black History Month Is About Seeing America Clearly for the New York Times, emphasizing the switch of Black History celebration that happened as he got older. ‘I was exposed to a second form of Black History Month when I got older: Black history as corrective. In this version, we learned about Black achievement that had been erased from the historical record,’ said McCaulley.”
- Cierra Morgan
“I feel like there needs to be recognition for history and what’s happened in history,” said USC health student, Alice Gibson. ‘To erase it completely would be disrespectful. It would be like erasing what’s happened in history.’
As of 2024, over 200 books have been banned in the United States, many of them being authentically Black and LGBTQ+. Other students at USC believe Black History month is tied to a level of fairness in regards to the culture of other communities.
‘We’ve not achieved equality yet in any sense of the word,’ said USC student, Alex Ushyiama. “There needs to be some form of respect paid for what’s happened in history, and some form of celebration.”
- Spartacus Smith
“But there’s a lot that Black History Month does to shed light on the intersections of the modern Black community as well, as pointed out by Izzy Batiste, a culture ambassador from the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs’ (CBCSA). ‘Now we’re starting to dive more into disabled individuals who are Black …, and queer people who have also helped us… non-binary individuals, [too].’ According to Batiste, this intersectionality is what makes up the “Black Rainbow,” and although there are spaces like the CBCSA to engender conversation and connection with the Black community at USC, there is still more that USC could be doing, especially as its status as a PWI (predominantly white institution).”
- Daphne Yaman
“Across the country, Black History Month is a mixture of appreciating Black culture and learning about the lives of Black people, past and present. But what must be on the minds of those who celebrate should be the future. Instances of normalized racism are not created by obvious racial federal laws but by local policies that target minorities disproportionately.
Acknowledge what happened, despite ego or ignorance. Think about ways in which what happened to Black people altered the stigma or systemic acceptance of them today.”
- Spartacus Smith
To delve deeper into the significance of Black History Month for the students at USC, we invite you to listen to our podcast “The Black View” and to follow us on Tik Tok.