In the eyes of People’s World, Black History Month is far more than the weeks in February when we remember and celebrate the essential contributions of African Americans to U.S. history.
Black History is American history and, as understood by People’s World, living and breathing—it is history made each day, impacting every aspect of life.
We recognize racism and inequality are systemically embedded in society’s economics, politics, and culture, and that the struggle for full equality is central to advancing on every issue. Without full equality of African Americans, the U.S. will never become a true multi-racial democracy.
Please ensure People’s World continues crusading for full equality and elevating the vital contributions of African Americans to U.S. history, society, culture, a sustainable environment, and democracy. Please donate generously to help People’s World achieve its 2023 Spring Fund Drive goal of $125,000.
In 1915, the Black historian Carter G. Woodson began conceiving what would eventually become Black History Month. Woodson declared, “We have been ignored and overlooked,” and proposed February as Black History Month because it was when Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were born.
Over the years, our multi-racial working class and its allies, led by African Americans fighting for full racial and social equality, have fought epic battles for social progress. These movements indelibly shape U.S. politics, multi-racial democracy, culture, and the environment to this day.
And the victories, too numerous to enumerate here, often manifested themselves in surprising ways. In 1976, Gerald Ford, a Republican president, officially recognized February as African-American History month, and in 1986, Ronald Reagan, no friend of political progress and the fight against racism, called on Congress to do the same.
Today, of course, Republican MAGA lawmakers are attempting to roll back this outstanding achievement and eliminate the study of African-American history in public education and institutions of higher learning. They want to prevent the American people from understanding what we put forward in People’s World—the essential truth that African-American history informs all of us and intersects with every struggle to advance democratic rights.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla, and his ilk don’t want the broad majority of Americans, primarily white Americans, to learn that Black Lives Matter provides leadership for all the struggles for justice, including voting rights, worker rights, women’s rights, immigrant rights, and LGBTQ rights.
The MAGA fascists want to dehumanize, criminalize, and marginalize African Americans and undermine the power of multi-racial unity to abolish other democratic rights and impose their autocratic rule.
This is the more important story of Black History, informing the pages of People’s World. You spread this truth to every American by supporting People’s World. Corporate America, particularly the extreme-right MAGA propaganda ecosystem, disagrees with this perspective.
People’s World publishes the truth and actively fights for full equality. With your support and together with the broad majority movement for full multi-racial democracy, we will win this battle. Please donate generously to ensure your daily online publication, People’s World, plays an essential role in shaping our shared present and future.
John Wojcik,
Editor-in-Chief
CONTRIBUTOR
Comments