Black History Is Made by Collective Work
Expand the Narrative of Black History Month
Although I appreciate the many celebrations of Black History Month, I’m often surprised (and disappointed) by how much we focus on individual communities rather than collective movements and communities led by Black activists.
For decades, I’ve had amazing opportunities to spend time with young people, nonprofit and library leaders, community organizers, and clergy to understand and interpret social movement history. From my perspective, all major advancements for (and the survival of) Black people in the U.S. have emerged from our collective organizing, mutual aid, and community support of one another.
So, this month and every month, I will continue to call on all of us to lift up the history of our collective struggle and triumph. This is what my original Civil Rights Tours were about, and it’s what inspires my work here and with Freedom Lifted.
Understanding our collective history means examining power - and rooting ourselves within a collective understanding of shared power.
We know and always emphasize that privilege is not the only source of power: This has been proven again and again by Black and other oppressed peoples linking arms in the struggle.
When I think about Black history, I think about -
Black artist collectives - like the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s & 1970s and Alvin Ailey’s American Dance Theatre
Black community organizations - like the Black Panther Party
Black political groups - like those who attended the National Black Political Convention
Black churches and mosques - like The AME Church
Black unions - like the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters labor union, organized by the Pullman Porters
Black colleges and universities - as evidenced in Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities, a documentary by Stanley Nelson
Black intellectual circles - like The Combahee River Collective
…all of which touched my own family.
When I think about Black history, I think about -
…all of whom built court cases TOGETHER and took white supremacy to task and to court.
When I think about Black history, I think about Black people TOGETHER… working to get free.
Image Description: Red, black, and green background representing the Black liberation flag with text that reads, “Black History Is Made By Collective Work, Expand the narrative of Black History Month.”
Because Black history is made by collective work.
When we see individuals lifted up, we must also think about their ancestors, their families, their communities… the ones who together created space for these achievements. We must also think about the places where they belonged, where they were affirmed, where they were embraced. That’s our history, too.
So, my call to action for all of us is this:
If we’re promoting Black achievement this month, can we think less about the individuals we might highlight… and more about the Black community organizing that’s brought us here?
I encourage you to lift up groups of Black people who worked together to feed, educate, and protect themselves and each other.
I encourage you to share the stories of Black and Brown solidarity movements that connected the dots and took notes from freedom struggles around the world.
I encourage you to host programs about artist collectives, dance companies, and writing groups that, by meeting together to practice their crafts, create works that inspire us to reflect, grieve, find joy, and live with sorrow.
I encourage you to talk to your communities about white people who put their own lives on the line to free Black people and, ultimately, themselves.
These are the lessons we need to revisit right now: We have survived because we held onto each other.
We have survived because other people of other races joined in the fight.
Yes, it’s important that we know that a few individual Black people, against all odds and despite all barriers, managed to invent things, build companies, and lead institutions. But I don’t think the reminder we need right now is that some people managed to “succeed” in this country despite oppression.
This year (and every year) we need to remember that freedom is a constant and dynamic collective act… not a static individual outcome.
After all, this is what’s made history, and this is what will ensure our future - together.
So… what’s next?
If you want to talk through ideas for how you can lean into this type of Black History Month storytelling, please send me a message. I live for this stuff, and I’d love to connect with you.
If you’ve seen or shared Black History Month posts in this spirit, please share them and tag me on LinkedIn! I would love to repost.