Advocating conscientiousness since 1926

For several decades African Americans have cemented their status in reaching milestones in American culture by potently catapulting themselves as a force to be reckoned with in American history collectively. As pristine as it sounds to the impartial observer, the establishment of this tradition was an aggressive effort, relentlessly fought to defy the norms and values of society to bring an end to the boxing in of the 'negro' from actualising his potential.The idea of Black History Month was initially launched as Black History Week by Dr Carter G Goodson in 1926, an early intellectual who received his PhD in History from Harvard. Goodson was disgruntled by the fact that throughout his education, there was very little relevance given to African Americans throughout American history. As such, he decided to permeate the agitation he felt into the public realm in order to make change imminent. Carter began work on journal compilation of African Americans aiming to put it into national spotlight, ultimately establishing the Journal of Negro History in 1916. Ten years forward, after extensively compiling data on African Americans, Black History Week became a reality. The theme of Black History Week was intently chosen on the second week of February between the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, who were instrumental figures in the liberation of African Americans in the 19th century, actively contesting the dehumanising nature of the norms and values held towards the black man. Black History Week was only the beginning. It was a revolutionary time-bomb detonated to provoke public conscientiousness of not only White America, but also the African American.From the time of its inception, the black community became more aware of the depth of their influence. Achievements in the black community suddenly began to culminate quite rigorously in a myriad of occupations ranging from sports, music, entertainment, political activism and academic achievement to name a few. In 1936, Jesse Owens was the fastest person in the world. Katherine Johnson was amongst the first black people to be integrated in a PhD programme in the South in 1939. The idea of proclaiming the African American as an equal was becoming more apparent. This spiked incredible stigma and conflict, instigated by the Civil Rights Movement. Black Liberals were imprisoned and others were unlawfully 'missing' and pronounced dead. The romanticised appeal of 1926 had withered and hostility was in the air until 1968 when the Civil Rights Bill was amended to give African Americans equal rights. In 1976 denying the significance of African Americans in American history could not continue to preside. Black History Week had evolved into Black History Month and was officiated across all states.Till this date, the tradition has been preserved and is seen as a symbol of endless possibility for the black man, even beyond American borders. The real question for the reader is whether you are a perpetual spectator or are you making history?*A Bachelor of Journalism and Media student at Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), James Jamu is a firm believer in Pan-Africanism and black empowerment.

Advocating conscientiousness since 1926

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-27

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Advocating conscientiousness since 1926

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-27

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