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equal opportunity employment journal
Feb/March 2021
8 Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Black History Month in the Workplace Written by Connie Du
ow many of you had a dedicated African-American history unit in February—Black History Month—as part of your curriculum? For those of us in the United States, it’s fairly common for schools to recognize Black History Month. But as we get older, mandated education and celebration of AfricanAmerican history gets less common. Which is a total bummer, and a lost opportunity! It also doesn’t help that February is a short month. But let’s not dwell on the negative. There’s so much positive that can be celebrated in that short period of time! As President Gerald Ford said in 1976 when he officially recognized Black History Month , we need to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Including in the workplace.
Why do we celebrate Black History Month? Black History Month actually started as Negro History Week in 1917. Author, journalist, and historian Carter G. Woodson—now appropriately recognized as the “father of black history”—lobbied vigorously for the national recognition of black stories and perspectives. Woodson believed deeply that equality was only possible with the acknowledgement and understanding of a race’s history, and dedicated his life to the study of AfricanAmerican historical research. Woodson also hoped that the time would come when Black History Month would be unnecessary. Unfortunately, we have a long way to go. So, how does this relate to the workplace? There’s a plethora of research that covers the racism, discrimination, and unfair treatment that Black employees face. This
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