OPINION: Dr. Carter Woodson’s 100-year-old initiative challenged by Trump’s MAGA movement 

This month millions will celebrate Black History Month under the theme of “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” This will occur because in February 1926 Dr. Carter G. Woodson initiated the celebration of Negro History Week. For the occasion he chose the second week of February, honoring two of the Black community’s highly respected heroes, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

For the next 50 Februarys, Black people in Black churches, in segregated Black schools and through the Black press discussed the achievements and contributions of Black individuals across the country. The efforts were generally designed to destroy the myths of the lack of Black intelligence and productivity, and to inspire Black youngsters to climb even higher.

This was expanded in 1976 when President Gerald Ford signed an order making the celebration Black History Month. During Ronald Reagan’s presidency, in 1986, Congress passed a resolution securing the celebration’s permanency.

Ten years prior to those formal actions, however, adherents of the Black Power Movement had begun to demand Black history and culture be taught in public schools and colleges, textbooks be revised to reflect the same, and Black Studies programs be developed in order to produce Black history scholars. The efforts of these activists were aimed at: reflecting the image that “Black is beautiful”; emphasizing Blacks in America are an African people; opposing anti-Black policies and systemic practices that had become institutionalized; supporting affirmative action and reparations; and calling for greater Black activism and assertiveness.

As one would imagine, these efforts helped to secure the election of many big city Black mayors and to the doubling of the number of Black people in Congress and in state legislatures, such as has been done in the Mississippi state legislature. Finally, these efforts led to the election of the first Black president, Barack Obama. These fruits of the Black History campaigns and agenda were accompanied by such Black literary productions as “The Warmth of Other Suns” and “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson and “Project” by Nikole Hannah-Jones, which further raised the consciousness of many Black and non-Black people.

Then, around 2010, MAGA adherents greatly stepped-up their opposition to the teaching of Black history, not just in the schools and colleges, but in the media and governmental agencies as well. This, now 15-year assault, can be seen in, among other things, the unprecedented attack on the Mississippi Board of Education by MAGA activists when the Board was attempting to revise the public school curriculum and when the college board ceased presenting the Black History commemorations that had been held for nearly 30 years after one Black Board member had pushed the matter. In addition to Black History, the MAGA forces have shown they are opposed to non-white people in general. Among other things, Project 2025 and subsequent actions show that bias.

These attacks make it clear Black History knowledge is as critical now as ever. Among other things, such knowledge can help us see how we see ourselves; help us see how others, especially white power brokers see us; and help us see how we are treated and fare in our public and private lives.

Upsetting these negative patterns is the aim of authentic Black History and the subsequent commemorations. It is, at the same time, what must happen if American democracy is to survive and expand. Apparently, Dr. Carter G. Woodson and his disciples also believe in the dictum, “you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.”