Let’s make history this Black History Month

By: Aswad Walker
Defender
https://defendernetwork.com/

For most people and in most years past, Black History Month has been about remembering, sharing and/or celebrating the history Black people made back in the day. And that alone would make for a powerful Black History Month any year if the annual February celebration really dug deep into our story – which it doesn’t.

But this year, we are being hit upside the head with the realization that all those Project 2025 warnings were prophetic predictions of the madness we’re currently experiencing. And recognizing there’s more madness to come, Black History Month 2025 has to be one for the ages.

And here’s how we can make that happen – by each of us making some history this Black History Month.

We must shift our thinking away from viewing history-makers as folk from past days and realize we can be history-makers in our present moment. In fact, this present moment demands that we leave our mark for our families, for the culture and ourselves.

There are a number of ways you can make history this February. Here are just a few.

Teach our children our history

Studies show that Black students do better in every educational measure (grades, attendance, behavior) when exposed to Black history. When we teach our children our history, we’re not only making history, we’re making and equipping additional history-makers.

Start a business

Black businesses employ more Black people than any other businesses. When you start a business, you make history and economically empower other potential history-makers.

Support a Black business

Our businesses don’t succeed unless we support them. With our support, Black businesses, businesses that employ Black people and invest in other aspects of the Black community, are economically empowered to have more impact and influence.

Grow your skills

By growing and expanding our skills and passions, we can have an even greater impact on our community and the world.

Engage in radical self-care

By taking care of your mental, emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being, you are better equipped to positively influence those around you and overcome most situations.

By doing any one of these things listed, or other actions that encourage, empower, and uplift our own, you will not only be making a difference today that can impact our tomorrows, you will literally be making history now.