Did you know that each year, there is a Black History Month theme?
Last year, in 2022, the theme was Black Health and Wellness. For 2023, the theme is Black Resistance.
By resisting, Black people have achieved triumphs, successes, and progress as seen in the end of chattel slavery, the dismantling of Jim and Jane Crow segregation in the South, increased political representation at all levels of government, desegregation of educational institutions, the passage of Civil Rights Act of 1964, the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History in DC and increased and diverse representation of Black experiences in media. Black resistance strategies have served as a model for every other social movement in the country, thus, the legacy and importance of these actions cannot be understated.
Here are 4 ways to honor Black History Month:
1. Support Black-owned businesses. For example – a local Black-owned business in Charleston is The Tiny Tassel. You can find other companies by searching the #blackowned hashtag online.
2. Learn about noteworthy Black figures and their contributions. Discover more about North Carolinians John Chavis or Abraham Galloway. Or learn more about the first African American woman licensed as a physician in South Carolina, Dr. Matilda Arabelle Evans.
3. Donate to charities that support anti-racism equity and equality.
4. Purchase, read, and share books by Black authors. Check out Alex Cage at www.alexcage.com.
What are some other ways that you are recognizing Black History Month?
Chad Dendy (Greer, SC),
Jimmy Underwood (Raleigh, NC)
Geoffry Bent (Charlotte, NC)
