John,

Everything is connected, especially when we're talking about our history. Black history. This throwback Thursday, we're looking at the trail of book bans—for instance, the strange proclamation in 1847 by Missouri to bar the education of Black folks. Let's stop here. It's usually at this point of the conversation, discussion, or history where the trail starts to fade, but we know that where white history starts to fade, most times, Black history is hidden in plain sight.

Let's continue.

Today, Missouri is among the top 5 states with the highest number of bans on Black history books and curricula. This unsettling truth prompts us to acknowledge that where there's smoke, there's fire. We're all aware of the value of knowledge held in books, yet it is a privilege that has been systematically denied to Black communities throughout history. Nobody else in this country has had to endure the generations of self-teaching or face the struggles associated with withholding the ability to nurture a mind and expression.

Library of Congress photo of Black children in class

This Black Futures Month, we're reminded that uncovering our rich history is only helping us move forward with confidence to never fall into these struggles again. This is the value of having the freedom to research and to learn. We won't allow these book bans to continue. Laws will be changed; this is non-negotiable. They have to if we're going to give the next generation a chance to find more of our history.

In love and solidarity,

Black Lives Matter

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