Latest news with #NationalBlackHistoryMonth
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WesternSlopeNow celebrates Black History Month
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – Black Citizens and Friends President David Combs states, 'Without Black History, we would not have complete history.' While February is known for Valentines Day, it is one of the many months to celebrate history and that is Black History Month. Our Town Matters CEO Tonya Maddox states, 'But I believe just the opposite is important. So when we set aside time to remember these historical facts, then we allow ourselves to let people know that, yes, we understand where we came from, and we know we never want to go back there.' Western Slope Now spoke with Maddox from Montrose and black citizens and friends president David Combs to talk about the significance of black history and why it is important to recognize the trailblazers. Maddox states, 'There are so many individuals in our history that if we did not have them in these people of color, the word culture wouldn't even exist, because we wouldn't have a culture.' 'One of the events that we had for Black History Month was the sip and paint and this year's theme for National Black History Month, the theme was African American labor,' Combs said. Combs told WesternSlopeNow the annual MLK march that is held in Grand Junction, used to start at the historic Handy Chapel. 'It's important to know that there were people that sacrificed to put the bricks and mortar here,' Combs said. And as the community started to participate more, the march passed the chapel to pay their respects. Combs states, 'We had our ceremonies outside just so we could say we were making use of the Handy Chapel. And now what we do is, during our symbolic march, we actually march by the church. We stop. We lay flowers on the steps.' When the city of Montrose held its march, it was still significant to the community to see everyone come together for the same reason. Maddox states, 'I believe that where we are now, and we live in an interracial culture, we touched on some things of people of color, black, white, tan, all getting together and for the common good.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Leonard Greene: Trump trashes equity and diversity as he issues proclamation honoring Black History Month
Make up your mind, already. On the one hand, you want to eliminate everything that has anything to do with equity and diversity, including any acknowledgment of months that celebrate cultural heritage. Then, on the other hand, you want to wish us a happy Black History Month. Well, too late. 'This National Black History Month, as America prepares to enter a historic Golden Age, I want to extend my tremendous gratitude to black Americans for all they have done to bring us to this moment, and for the many future contributions they will make as we advance into a future of limitless possibility under my Administration,' President Donald Trump said in a proclamation. Trump went on to cite abolitionist Frederick Douglass, freedom fighter Harriett Tubman, economist Thomas Sowell, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and professional golfer Tiger Woods as examples of Black people who 'represent what is best in America and her citizens.' There used to be a saying Black people employed to sarcastically acknowledge underwhelming acts of generosity and recognition: 'That's mighty white of you.' I give you Trump. The last thing Black people need is for Trump to be picking out our heroes, especially if they have names like Clarence Thomas. Scratch that. That's the next to last thing we need. The truly last thing we need is for Trump to undo all the progress and contributions we have made to American society. Trump's Black History Month proclamation came on the heels of a Department of Defense announcement that it would no longer recognize or celebrate months dedicated to specific cultural or gender identities. Gone, according to a memo, are Women's History Month, Pride Month, Hispanic Heritage Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Service members will be able to observe such commemorations on their own time. Again, mighty white of them. Many conspiracy theorists have complained about Black history being relegated to the calendar's shortest month. But it was nothing quite as sinister as that. Black History Month actually began as Negro History Week in 1926 when historian Carter G. Woodson and others pushed to set aside time to celebrate and promote Black history and achievement. They suggested the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation executive order that freed American slaves. Nationwide, schools and communities joined in and organized local celebrations, established history clubs and hosted performances and lectures. These celebrations continued for decades, gaining momentum in the 1960s, thanks to the Civil Rights Movement and by the late 1960s, thanks to the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. By the 1970s, Negro History Week evolved into Black History Month. Republican President Gerald Ford was the first president to recognize Black History Month in 1976. Ford called upon the public to 'seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.' Woodson had put it another way. 'If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated,' Woodson said. So, is Black History Month history going forward? That remains unclear. But current festivities going on this month at the National Park Service and other government institutions are sure to eventually raise the question among Trump and his supporters about the need for a Black History Month. They will remind us that there has never been a month, or even a day set aside to celebrate the achievements and history of white people in America. Of course, they would be wrong. Those set-aside times are just called something different. They have names like April, May, July and August — and every day that ends with a 'Y.' _____
Express Tribune
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Donald Trump invites Zeek Arkham to White House for National Black History Month celebration
President Donald Trump invited Zeek Arkham, a former NYPD officer and podcaster, to attend a White House reception in honor of National Black History Month. Arkham shared the invitation on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, which read: 'The President requests the pleasure of your company at a reception in honor of National Black History Month to be held at The White House on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at one-thirty o'clock.' In his post, Arkham expressed his surprise at the journey that led to this moment. He reflected on starting his X account to share his perspective, never expecting it to gain traction. He thanked God for the opportunity, saying, 'I just hope I do right with it.' Arkham also shared an emotional phone call with his mother, who was moved to tears by the news. Arkham, a self-described "conservatarian" with over 400,000 followers on X, is known for his vocal criticism of the left. He has interacted with President Trump online before, including reposting a controversial comment about former Vice President Kamala Harris, which Trump amplified on his social media accounts. Reflecting on the White House invitation, Arkham called it 'a huge honor' and emphasized that he would make the most of the opportunity, adding that it is an honor he doesn't take lightly. That moment when you're in your feelings and ready to be pissed for the rest of the week, and you already ate an extra Crumbl cookie to make yourself feel better, but then God reminds you He's still in control. I started this account just to give my perspective. Never thought it… — Zeek Arkham 🇺🇸 (@ZeekArkham)
CBS News
07-02-2025
- General
- CBS News
Black History Month is underway. Here's what to know about its origins and myths.
Beginning Feb. 1, schools, museums and communities across the nation mark the start of Black History Month — a celebration of Black history, culture and education. The history of the observance dates back almost a century, and the way it is celebrated and evolved has created history in itself. The origins of the month Black History Month wasn't always a monthlong celebration. In February 1926, historian and author created Negro History Week. It was a weeklong celebration in an effort to teach people about African-American history and the contributions of Black people. This effort was made under the umbrella of an organization he founded in September 1915 called the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, or ASALH. "I think Black folks understood what they had contributed to America's historical narrative, but no one was talking about it," said Kaye Whitehead, the organization's president. "No one was centralizing it until Dr. Carter G. Woodson was in 1926." After he passed away in 1950, the members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, which Dr. Woodson was a member of, did a lot of groundwork to encourage celebrating the week. The fraternity was also responsible for the push to extend the celebrations to a full month. Eventually, in 1976, President Gerald Ford became the first president to issue a message recognizing the month. Since then, presidents have made annual proclamations for National Black History Month, a tradition that President Donald Trump plans to continue, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Celebrating Black history The Association for the Study of African American Life and History releases a theme for each year, which is a practice Woodson started. This year's theme is African Americans and Labor. The organization plans to use the month, and the rest of the year, focusing on the role of Black labor in building the nation through industry or community work. Black history is also celebrated within communities and families. Worth K. Hayes, an associate professor of history and Africana studies at Morehouse College, said some families may use the month to explore their genealogy, learn about their ancestors or come together to eat a meal and make family trees. "We may be more familiar with the more public ways, but there are also a lot more intimate ways in which these messages are spread and the way that the holiday is propagated," Hayes said. At some schools, assemblies or gatherings are held to honor Black leaders, according to the nonpartisan organization the Center for Racial Justice in Education. "Some schools invite elders to share their wisdom and lived experiences, allowing young people to learn from them, ask questions, and build meaningful connections across generations," the center said in an email to The Associated Press. "Additionally, some communities select specific topics or principles for in-depth exploration during the month." Myths about Black History Month Myths around Black History Month continue, Whitehead said, including the idea that the U.S. government purposely chose the shortest month of the year. In reality, Woodson chose February because two prominent figures in the civil rights movement — Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass — had birthdays in the week he chose. Whitehead also stresses that Black history shouldn't just be taught for the month of February, but rather taught and celebrated for the entire year. Celebrities, including actor Morgan Freeman, have criticized it being just a monthlong celebration. But Hayes argued that the month isn't just about celebrating African-American history, but Black history as a whole. "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. "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. You're talking about many of the women and men who led the independence movements on the African continent." Whitehead added that Black history is not just for Black people, it is for all people. "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. Black history doesn't rely on a presidential proclamation, Whitehead and others said. Whitehead said Black people don't need permission to mark the month. "It doesn't happen because we're waiting for a statement to be released. We proclaim it, We celebrate it, we uplift, we center it and we help people to understand that this is our history," she said. Black History Month in 2025 At least one government agency has paused celebrations of cultural or historic events, including Black History Month. The Trump administration planned to scrub some federal government websites in order to remove content contrary to the president's thinking, administration officials told CBS News. There was confusion about whether sites would be entirely shut down, but federal department and agency websites remained functional Friday. But at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the decisions of the new Trump administration around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives will not affect how Black History Month is celebrated. "Negro History Week started in 1926 without any proclamation from anyone other than the people," said ASALH executive director Sylvia Cyrus. "The president of the United States has his views, and certainly we assume that he understands the contributions that African Americans and other people of color have made." A White House spokesperson has said that they intend to celebrate the month. Some believe how Black history is taught could be affected by the new administration's outlook on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. The Center for Racial Justice in Education said educators may be more encouraged to teach Black history in their classrooms throughout the year. "Resistance takes many inspiring forms, and those dedicated to celebrating this essential history are employing creative and strategic approaches to share and further develop it," the organization said in an email. Hayes agreed and said it could encourage others to teach communities about the contributions of Black people. "African Americans, Black folks throughout the world, just like all cultures throughout the world, have taken ownership of their history," he said. "And these various political developments may shape the contours of it. But this story is going to be told regardless of the political dynamics of the particular time."
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Coke Florida's National Black History Month Programming Continues to Deliver on Commitment to Education & Economic Empowerment
Technology Focused Contributions Surpass $900K TAMPA, Fla., February 05, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As one of the largest Black owned businesses in the Nation, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) is proud to recognize National Black History Month and celebrate the many contributions that Black Americans have made in our Nation's history. Through the company's continued focus on Education and Economic Empowerment, Coke Florida will provide educational and technology resources to communities throughout the state. Through these initiatives, Coke Florida has been able to create a positive and lasting impact on the lives of Floridians. "Our initiatives will help people and communities reach their full potential," said Percy L. Wells, II, Group Vice President, Government Relations, Public Affairs, and Communications at Coke Florida. "Whether it be through the creation of new learning opportunities for an elementary school student or helping an adult in their job search, Coke Florida has stepped in to help foster these opportunities." During National Black History Month, Coke Florida will donate 300 new laptops towards this worthy campaign, increasing its total to nearly 1,800 laptops since the program began in 2016. Additionally, the company has begun developing and enhancing community tech labs with needed hardware since 2021 to support expanded access for students. With eight tech labs being dedicated this month, a total of 18 computer labs will have been refreshed across the state in just three years. The final component of Coke Florida's National Black History Month campaign will support the UGA Invitational presented by Coke Florida. This year marks the fourth consecutive year Coke Florida will serve as presenting sponsor of the United Golfers Association's (UGA) annual invitational. UGA leads the way in promoting diversity in golf, and the invitational offers a unique opportunity for elite minority golfers to compete while providing educational opportunities to aspiring junior and collegiate athletes. This year's event will be held at Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor and will commemorate UGA's 100th anniversary. To learn more about Coke Florida's Black History Month initiatives, visit About Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) is the sixth largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. Coke Florida markets, sells, manufactures, distributes, and merchandises products of The Coca-Cola Company in an exclusive territory that covers over 21 million consumers across 47 Florida counties that includes the Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville metropolitan areas. The company employs over 5,000 associates and has four GreenCircle certified manufacturing facilities and eighteen sales and distribution centers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Tampa, Coke Florida is the one of the largest Black-owned business in the United States and is Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified. In 2024, Coke Florida was recognized as a US Best Managed Company by Deloitte-Private and The Wall Street Journal for the third consecutive year. To learn more, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact: J. Katrinda McQueenVice President, Communicationskmcqueen@ 813-557-9088
