This year’s Black History Month is happening during a racially turbulent time in our country. It reminds us that although we’ve made strides toward racial equality, we still have far to go. Progress won’t be made overnight, but small steps can be made daily. Learning about contributions made by people of color that have shaped this country can encourage love and respect for one’s heritage. Include your family and friends in this journey and enjoy black history all year round with these seven tips.
Watch historical films/documentaries by black filmmakers. Ava DuVernay’s Selma is now in theaters. If you would rather stay in the comfort of your own home, seek out history lessons not taught in school and watch Hidden Colors, a documentary about the untold history of people of color.
Discover Africa. There’s more to the second largest continent than poverty, disease, and mass murders that are depicted on national media. Believed to be the location of the first human remains, Africa is full of plush landscapes, bustling cities, and beautiful beaches.
Visit your local library. Soak up some black history with free events catered to those of all ages. Check your local library for film and lecture series, arts and crafts, and book readings featuring black authors, poets, and historians.
Create a scavenger hunt. Make learning history fun. Draw up a hunt that involves locating information on the Internet about influential black leaders which ends with the treasure of knowledge.
Eat some soul food. Grab your grandma’s cookbook or check here for recipes. If cooking is not your thing, grab a bite out. Visit Yelp to find soul food restaurants in your area.
Learn about Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa—called Nguzo Saba in Swahili—is an African-American and Pan-African cultural holiday that begins the last week in December and is centered around seven principles. It was created by Maulana Karenga, and was first celebrated in 1966–67.
Collect inspirational quotes. Show how far we’ve come by reading the words from the people who helped get us here. “To live is to choose,” said Kofi Annan, the first secretary general of the United Nations of African descent. “But to choose, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.”
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