John,
Black History Month ended yesterday. It's traditionally been a month where we celebrate the achievements of Black people, some iconic and some lesser known but still vital to U.S. history.
Our history is deep, long, complex, and incredibly inspiring to me. It is also an important lens for our work, which is why the growing effort across this country to erase Black history is so distressing. These efforts seek to erase the truth about our nation’s failings on race and human rights. And without the precursor of an honest reckoning of this truth, we will never get to meaningful reconciliation.
I wrote about this problem for Essence:
Erasing Black history is damaging because these lessons are crucial to understanding the problems we’re facing and thinking through solutions for real change. For hundreds of years, Black Americans have walked a tightrope with little room for error and few second chances because our systems have controlled and oppressed us — and still do. These systems span every aspect of our lives, from healthcare to education and economic opportunities to law enforcement.
I hope you can take a few minutes to read the rest of the piece. More than anything, I hope you will remember that Black history can’t and shouldn’t be contained to a month. And we must fight for our history to build the equitable and thriving communities that make up true public safety.
