Every February, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the organization established in 1915 by “the Founder of Black History” Dr. Carter G. Woodson, designates a theme for the observance of Black History Month.
In the days following President Barack Obama’s first inauguration, the preparations for Black History Month felt especially joyful. That was a moment when the entire nation could see Black history and American history being written at the same time.
The week honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in our nation ended under a barrage of threats to Dr. King’s vision and values and attacks on long-deserved, hard-earned protections and progress for millions of people.
As we celebrate the national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which coincides with Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C., this year, it is an opportune moment to return to Dr. King’s definition of greatness.
President Carter once called justice, truth, humility, service, compassion, and love “the guiding lights of a life,” and those principles were the threads woven through the long lists of his own accomplishments.
The end of the holiday season and the start of the new year are always a time to prepare for new beginnings.
It is still up to us to make real that dream and that day when the sons and daughters of God shout for joy for all children and young people and their families in America.
This is an opportunity to recommit to service and justice and to act on God’s call through the prophet Zechariah “to see that justice is done, to show kindness and mercy to one another, not to oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, who live among you or anyone else in need.”
When poet, essayist, scholar, and activist Nikki Giovanni passed away on December 9, the world lost a singular voice.
Education
As parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, and adults everywhere are busy choosing holiday gifts for the children they love, books should always be at the top of the list.