Black History Month explained: Its origins, celebrations and myths Beginning Feb. 1, schools, museums and communities across the nation will mark the start of Black History Month –- a celebration of Black history, culture and education.
“But that reduces Black history to African-American history, and that’s not how it is and is celebrated from its origins to this day … So if you’re talking about Black History Month, you’re not only talking about Nat Turner, you’re also talking about Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian Revolution.
“I think that there is this desire to make this point that African-American history or Black history is so integral to the American story, American history,” Hayes said.
Myths around Black History Month continue, Whitehead said, including the idea that the U.S. government purposely chose the shortest month of the year.
“If you’re in an environment and everybody in the environment is white, you need Black History Month more than ever because you need to understand that the world, even though you like to believe it fits into this box, it does not,” Whitehead said.
