In many ways, Black History Month in America is truly a celebration of the achievements of a historically underrepresented group- and that is obviously its highest purpose. However, as it places the spotlight on liberal Black thinkers and virtually erases conservative ones, it is increasingly becoming another platform for political messaging. An entire month of history that only celebrates CERTAIN achievers becomes a thinly veiled political tool. I was pondering this trend throughout the month of February as I took in the commercials, book displays, and tributes.
I have long been aware of the dearth of ideological equality during this celebratory month, but it hit home for me in a new way this year as I looked through the eyes of my child and thought about the people that I want him to admire and emulate. As my 3-year-old son Lincoln sat looking up at the television and absorbing one of many Black History Month commercials between airings of Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol, I realized that the powers-that-be are making no attempt to celebrate some of the Black Americans I most want him to admire.
ALL recommended reading featured for Black History Month for both adults and children either did not feature a politician at all or promoted a Democrat hero. 
Adjoining the Black History display in the historical section of the Children’s Department, I found a book about the liberal Hispanic justice Sonia Sotomayor, the late liberal Jewish justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the late liberal African American justice Thurgood Marshall, but I still couldn’t find a single book about current conservative African American justice Clarence Thomas. Four children’s displays and countless adult displays resulted in zero books about Black openly conservative achievers.
From my observations, the same pattern holds true in messaging and media for teens and adults. Adult recommended reading displays also featured Harris, the Obamas, Stacey Abrams, and a variety of liberal activists while failing to provide ONE option of an outspoken Black conservative. 
Amazon actually removed their only documentary about Clarence Thomas DURING Black History Month, causing a bit of a stir. If I sound like a broken record at this point, then so do our viewing and reading options.
Let me reiterate that by no means do I want liberal heroes EXCLUDED from these displays, nor do I even expect equal representation. I am aware that more Black Americans identify as Democrats (although to be fair they often poll as more ideologically conservative on many issues than the current Democrat leaders). Democrats have also achieved more “firsts” of late. As a result, I would expect to see one or two conservatives featured among a larger display, but there are currently NO conservative politicians featured anywhere that I have seen, despite their great successes. This is not about a failure to put my heroes front-and-center but about purposefully excluding them entirely. My child is ONLY being shown Black political heroes who are fiercely pro-abortion and who align with a view of the world that is acceptable to the left. He is not being offered additional heroes from his parents’ worldview (and half of the nation, for that matter), although they exist. The choice to leave them out is a POLITICAL choice, not a historical one.
A true celebration of Black History would give all readers and viewers more varied options for learning and admiration. If consumers (especially young ones) are only offered one group of achievers with the same beliefs, then the goal of Black History Month is to influence and shape moral and political views instead of what it claims- celebrating Black heroes for their contributions. Until everyone is represented, my son will continue being told that conservative Black men and women are not heroes, and that they have nothing to offer. The message is that they either do not exist, or that they are not worthy of being included or praised. Next Black History Month, I guess we will have to celebrate some of our greatest Black heroes here at home.
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Jackie Chea is a blogger from San Antonio, Texas who holds a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Community Counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She writes on political and cultural issues from a conservative, religious standpoint. She lives in the Lone Star State with her husband Nick, her 5-year-old son Lincoln, and her rescue dogs. |
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