For the first time since being recognized at the federal level, the sitting president will not designate February as Black History Month. The first president to recognize Black History Month was Gerald Ford in 1976, but its history goes much further back than this.
The idea of Black History Month can be traced back to Kent State University, with the founding of the Association for Study of African American Life and History by professor and historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Shortly thereafter, the second week of February on the Kent Campus was designated as Negro History Week.
This would last and continue to be a cornerstone of Kent State University, but in 1970, that would change when Kent State began observing February as Black History Month.
Upon becoming the first president to recognize February as Black History Month, President Gerald Ford stated that we must “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Following Gerald Ford’s proclamation, Congress, in 1986, would pass a law officially designating February as Black History Month nationally.
In neglecting to recognize this crucial part of our history and refusing to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans, Donald Trump is failing to make good on the directive that Gerald Ford presented us upon federally recognizing Black History Month.
Since taking office, President Trump has waged war on the DEI programs that he has deemed to be destroying white American history. This rhetoric has been a facade for the blatantly racist rhetoric and views of the Republican Party.
It is apparent that Donald Trump and the rest of his administration are not trying to restore America to a fictional “race blind” state. The Trump administration claims that by doing away with diversity, equity and inclusion, we will revert to a workforce in which employees are chosen strictly based on their experience and ability to carry out the responsibilities of the job.
When using this rhetoric and making these claims, President Trump is spreading misleading information and outright falsehoods.
One of the sectors that President Trump has his sights locked in on has been the aviation industry. Trump is concerned that DEI policies of the government and airlines have resulted in unqualified individuals from passing through into the workforce which has made air travel unsafe. This could not be further from the truth.
In reality, becoming an air traffic controller is one of the most rigorous hiring processes in the workforce. Individuals in this position are responsible for ensuring the safety of every aircraft in the sky. Seeing as this is one of the most stressful jobs available, people are not hired simply based on their race, this is an outright lie.
On the contrary, giving all federal employees the offer of walking away from their job, leaving the remaining controllers to shoulder this responsibility, does create unsafe conditions for air travelers. As much as Donald Trump wants to scapegoat Black and brown Americans, the truth is not on their side.
The importance of celebrating Black history around the world, but especially today in the United States, cannot be stressed enough.
The United States was built by Black people against their will, and to stray from tradition and decency by refusing to acknowledge Black History Month is an utter disgrace.
Despite this disgusting move by the Trump administration, Black History Month is far from canceled for the rest of the country. We will progress as a society only when we acknowledge the past and study it in order to prevent history from repeating itself.
The United States has been and forever will be a country founded on racism and white supremacy, and in order to ensure a more just future, we must lift each other up, not tear each other down.
Jackson Small is a columnist. Contact him at [email protected].