By Ainsley Hanner and Hatoon Bashanfar
As February has come to an end, let’s reflect on Black History Month! Many people are familiar with the commonly highlighted events and figures important to the Black community: the 13th Amendment that ended slavery in the United States and the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr, Muhammad Ali, and more. But what is the history behind this month-long celebration of Black history, individuals, and culture?
In 1926, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) and its founder, scholar Carter G. Woodson, sponsored the first “Negro History Week” to highlight the contributions of Black Americans to U.S. history. The second week of February was selected so that this week would coincide with Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays, two significant figures in Black history. This event became more popular over the years, spreading as schools and cities across the nation held their own celebrations of Black Americans’ victories. During the Civil Rights Movement, organizations, especially those on college campuses, expanded the week-long event to the entire month of February. Finally, in 1976, 50 years after the first “Negro History Week,” Black History Month was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford. Thus, Black History Month was established on a national level!
One aspect of Black History Month many people don’t know about is that every year, a specific theme is given to the celebration. In recent years, themes have included African Americans and the Vote (2020) and The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity (2021). For 2022, the theme was Black Health and Wellness. With this theme, the goal was to honor Black scholars practitioners in the medical field, as well as highlight traditional wellness practices of the Black community including herbalism, midwifery, and more. Among the latter category are two important figures. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first Black woman to become a physician after graduating from the New England Female Medical College in 1864. Dorothy Lavinia Brown was the first Black woman surgeon, practicing in many areas in the southeastern United States in the 1900s. In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, the focus on Black wellness also draws attention to unequal health outcomes for Black Americans that continue to this day. Black Americans have higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease compared to other Americans. In addition, Black mothers are three times more likely to die due to pregnancy-related causes, according to the CDC. Related to COVID-19, Black Americans had death rates more than twice those for white Americans at the start of the pandemic also from CDC metrics. Historical distrust of healthcare systems, implicit bias among practitioners, and unequal access to treatment and preventative care are all significant barriers to Black health today. However, there are many organizations and individuals all over the country dedicated to closing gaps in health outcomes for this community.
In the spirit of Black History Month, here are a few organizations that support Black communities and their achievements. Related to science and technology, Black Girls CODE and Black Girls Do STEM are both groups that introduce Black girls to different fields related to technology and science and connect them with opportunities in industry. On campus, you can connect with the National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE), including at SWE’s upcoming Diversity Dinner co-hosted by NSBE and SHPE! Other organizations to support include health charities like the Black AIDS Institute, Black Women’s Health Imperative, and BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective) and advancement projects like the NAACP, ACLU, and many, many more. Getting involved in the community, giving financially if you have the means, and encouraging others to do the same are great ways to support Black history and culture during Black History Month and throughout the year.
