The Sunday Column: Black History Month Edition; Duh!

By: Alexis Shoats

This Sunday column is dedicated to my ancestors, my community, and my culture. Here’s how to spend a Sunday learning, honoring, and preserving black history. 

1. Consume Black Media

Telling Black stories allows our community the opportunity to reclaim and dispel harmful narratives that have been told for centuries. Black people are not a monolith; there is art, sports, film, television, novels, and journalism that you can engage with.

2. Visit a Black History Educational Experience

There are not nearly enough museums dedicated solely to preserving Black history, but I encourage you to visit the ones in your city or surrounding cities. I also highly suggest taking a trip to visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., the Legacy Sites that encompass the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Alabama, and the Whitney Plantation in Louisiana, the only plantation dedicated to telling the history of slavery from the perspective of the enslaved. 

3. Buy Black 

Along with consuming Black media and learning about black history, it is imperative that you financially support Black businesses. White-owned businesses have greater access to capital than Black-owned businesses, therefore widening the racial wealth gap.  

Now, this list is not extensive; it is a starting point. There are so many ways to unlearn harmful narratives, become a better ally, and support the Black community. I hope you use this guide as just the first step.

Happy Black History Month!

Alexis Shoats 

Editor - In - Chief