Black History Month is the annual recognition of the history, achievements, and influence of the Black community. Every year, The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) designates a new theme for Black History Month. This year’s theme is Black Resistance.

Throughout history, Black Americans have resisted ongoing oppression, pushing for the country to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all. By acts of resistance, Black people have achieved triumphs, successes, and progress which can be seen in the end of slavery, dismantling Jim Crow laws in the South, increased political representation, desegregation of educational institutions, the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, and representation of Black voices in the media.

What can allies do during this month?

Thanks to the hard work of our The Guidance Center’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee we have compiled a list of ways you can observe Black History Month.

EDUCATE:

Being an ally and educating yourself are important ways to honor Black History Month. This requires learning about the breadth of the Black experience and looking within ourselves–challenging assumptions and attitudes, and bringing unconscious biases to light. As memoirist Anaïs Nin said, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” 

READ, WATCH OR LISTEN, TO BLACK CREATORS:

Support Black-owned Business:

Shopping at local Black businesses helps protect livelihoods and creates opportunities for Black entrepreneurs. The following resources can help you figure out which businesses are owned and operated by Black neighbors in your area: Yelp, Official Black Wall Street, Etsy, Blapp etc.

This month, we challenge you to take a deep dive into Black History Month and learn something new. Read a book, attend an event, have a conversation that will educate you and challenge your thinking in a new way.