I won’t lie, it’s tough to be Black in a country that requires the explosion of a hashtag in order to re-ignite a centuries-old conversation about who’s life matters (and who’s doesn’t). We walk around wearing shirts bearing the faces of our fallen Kings and Queens. We participate in social media campaigns with #BlackLivesMatter at the nucleus. We partake in (sometimes, heated) debates with others about the terminology of ‘Black Lives Matter’ vs ‘All Lives Matter.’ You see, the collective narrative has gotten convoluted with the plethora of personal opinions on the issues related to Black Lives Matter…and I fear that the most basic intention has gotten lost amongst the politics and social grandeur. Please read these next few points and read them clearly: 1) the equality we are seeking for the sake of our Black lives is not some social media craze or some game to be played with, 2) saying ‘Black Lives Matter’ does not mean that Black Lives Matter most or more than any other, it simply means that we want to be treated as full human beings, and 3) history shows that Black lives have been valued for physical labor, but we are (and have always been) so much more than that; we are doctors, lawyers, pediatricians, parents, scholars, and so on. Our Black skin is not a threat to anyone, nor will we stand idle and allow our existence in this world to be subjugated by racial (social) politics. I would not wish this level of disparate treatment onto any other group of people, even those who are aware of their wrongdoing. Granted, I am not writing this article to join the flood of BLM op-eds and blogs. Instead, I will spend the next few moments explaining a few things that I believe our people should be aware of. As we celebrate the completion of another Black History Month, we must take time to recognize the successes of our past in order to guide our current ventures and forge ahead to the promised land. Here, I offer a horological awakening of a sort. First, let’s take a step back and (briefly) review our overlooked history. Contrary to popular belief, BHM is not simply discussing slavery and the Civil War. We are a powerful people, and our history is far more fruitful than social studies books give us credit for.

Why We Can’t Wait

When discussing Black History [Month], it is important that we understand that Black History does not end on February 28, and it does not start and stop with Martin Luther King, Jr. By that, I am simply bringing awareness to the fact that our great leader has become the face of many ‘diversity campaigns’ and promotions…as if he was always a beloved figure by society. History tells a vastly different story. Dr. King was simultaneously adored by our people…and one of the most hated men in America (which is why his physical life was taken away on April 4, 1968). People love to put Dr. King’s quotes, along with his face, on their campaigns and weaponize his wisdom…even though they do not believe in his mission or live out his principles. To be real with you, that annoys the hell out of me and I’m sure I am not alone in that thought. It is not because I do not recognize the significance of his existence or because I don’t believe in his prolific ventures. It is because those of us who know our history know that those promotions are a facade.

Dr. King stood for the non-violent approach to racial equality and the end of segregation in America...which is a dream that figuratively remains just that: a dream. Although there are no physical signs signifying ‘white’ and ‘Colored’ spaces, those segregated spaces still exist. We call these things ‘history,’ but they are still alive and well in contemporary society. With all due respect to our great leader, please stop allowing Dr. King to be the only person we celebrate. Black history dates back to the beginning of time, and it is far more encapsulating than the shortest month of the calendar year or a single man’s contribution (with all due respect, por supuesto). Dr. King is Black history, but he is certainly not alone. Black history includes all of us who fight this battle, every damn day. Dr. King was our [truly] fearless leader and he accepted all that came with the post, but we have many others who also deserve to be celebrated throughout the year…not just BHM. For example, it would be helpful if we celebrated Dr. King’s fearless partner, Coretta Scott King. It would be helpful if we celebrate their incredible daughter, Bernice King (@berniceking). It would be helpful if we celebrated people like Nat Turner, Thurgood Marshall, Malcolm X, Fred Hampton, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Audre Lorde, Ida B. Wells, Gwendolyn Brooks, Marcus Garvey, Shirley Chisholm, and Langston Hughes. It would be helpful if we not only celebrated people like Michelle and Barack Obama but also people like Stacey Abrams and Van Jones. If we are not privy to some of those names, we must also remember that we live in the age of access and we can gain that knowledge at the tap of a finger. At this point, if we remain ignorant…we have ourselves to blame.

Savant Mode; for those who don’t know where to start:

If you are wondering where to start, I want you to know that you have already taken the biggest step by attempting to increase your education and awareness of the issue at hand. Historically, the problem that we have seen throughout history is expressed greatly in my good sister Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Danger of a Single Story. She talks about the danger of hearing one side of a story. Inadvertently, she brings attention to the ways in which history books have been whitewashed and the ways in which those in power have been the only ones telling the stories of what happened over the years. Divorce the ‘whitewash’ and tap into the voices of the oppressed! Here’s a start:

• Start reading literature from people who don’t look like you or speak like you.

• Remember that YouTube is free! There are also numerous op-ed outlets that you can use to increase your education.

• In regard to ‘formal’ education, take an African-American history elective instead of ‘Astronomy’ or ‘Ceramics.’ Not to dismiss those topics in regard to their importance, but if you wish to understand more about the BIPOC experience…be intentional with your knowledge pursuit.

• In regard to books, start with:

  • Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria - Dr. Beverly Tatum.

  • Between the World and Me - Ta’nehisi Coates

  • The Color of Compromise - Jemar Tisby

  • Why We Can’t Wait - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

  • How to be An Antiracist - Ibram X. Kendi

• If you want to know why Black people have trouble trusting medical professionals…or vaccinations (be warned. this one is a tough read)

  • Medical Apartheid - Harriet A. Washington

• If you want to catch a glimpse of life during/after the slave trade (another forewarning)

  • Lose Your Mother - Saidiya Hartman

  • Barracoon - Zora Neale Hurston

  • The Kidnapped Prince - Olaudah Equiano

• If you want to know about Black experiences with education

  • Savage Inequalities - Jonathan Kozol

• For the younger crowd (your children…or maybe even you)

  • The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas (young adult fiction) —> @angiethomas

  • Dear Martin & Dear Justyce - Nic Stone (young adult fiction) —> @nicstone

  • Ana & Andrew Series - Christine Platt (children’s books) —> @afrominimalist

There you go. Get to reading. Get a GoodReads account and add me so we can hold each other accountable! @SavantLamont

***

As we fade to black on BHM, Black history is a history of fearless lineage and triumph against unimaginable circumstances of marginalization, mountains of hatred, and the greatest crimes against humanity; it really is the true essence of perseverance. Black is a color to some but a lifestyle to others (like myself), especially in a country like America where Black skin has publicly been demonized by the various disciplines of academic inquiry and research; deemed dangerous or a threat in need of paternalistic oversight and subsequent control. We don’t need paternalistic oversight. We good on that, I promise. We simply yearn for freedom and justice. We desire to be loved and valued, like every other human. Although social studies or American history books tell a tale of slavery and civil rights tribulations, our people have overcome great trials…and we have a vast lineage of Kings and Queens prior to our unwilling arrival on American shores. Please, do not reduce us to the ideology of the American forefathers. We are more. We are living, breathing humans…and we just ask that you see us as such. Nothing more. Nothing less. We have endured the hardest of trials and tribulations, and our power is in our perseverance.

To me, Black history is what I am most proud of because there exists no other group of people who have endured centuries of such hatred and abuse and have still continued to persevere. There is power in Black. When you look up the words ‘perseverance’ or ‘resilience’ in the dictionary, the words ‘Black history’ ought to follow. BHM exists as a reminder that our Kings and Queens have worked diligently to continually fight for justice. To this day, the world is nowhere near the concepts of unequivocal equity or inclusion, and until we get there…we must still keep working together. If you give a damn about BIPOC, show it. Live it. Breathe it. Speak it. Be intentional in being antiracist, not just ‘not racist.’ Eventually, silence on these issues will speak louder than anything else…so we must educate ourselves and step into the active efforts of dismantling racism (or single-sided rhetoric). There is no hiding in 2021.

Siempre,

Savant 🌹

thank you for spending a few moments with me. i do value your time and thoughts, so please do not hesitate to send me a message @savantlamont and let me know your thoughts. i would love to hear from you, and I am always here to help you along your journey!