Kathairo Solutions

Most of us know that February is Black History Month. What began as a weeklong celebration by Carter G. Woodson in 1926 has become a federally recognized holiday. Black History Month is great opportunity to practice reconciliation through learning and collaboration. Below are 3 tips to make your Black History Month celebration meaningful, transformative, and have a Gospel-centered impact:

1. Research to find figures and events that you have never heard of. Don’t just stick with the same figures we all talk about. We are blessed to have the stories of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman, and Barack Obama. Yet, there are many, many examples of others most us have never heard of. These include Alice Coachman who became the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in 1948 or Jane Bolin who became America’s first Black female judge in 1939. Have you ever heard of them? Continued exposure reminds us all of the depth of Black culture along with the amazing achievements that have been overlooked for far too long.
2. Collaborate with other organizations. Are you having trouble knowing how to start celebrating Black History Month or how to find new ways to do so? Don’t just keep developing programs the way you have been. You don’t have figure it out alone! There’s power in collaboration. Reach out to another church, nonprofit, or school in your area and just ask what they’ve done in the past. You may want to visit other organizations’s events or even work on a joint event. St. Louis is blessed to have several events for MLK Day and Black History Month that bring together people from very different walks of life.
3. Pray, pray, pray! Ask God to use your efforts in celebrating Black History Month for His glory. Pray that He would use them to bridge people together that don’t normally associate with each other. Pray that people will grow in their knowledge of historical truth and that prejudices would be torn down. Pray for continued healing in and reconciliation in your city and in our nation.

Expand your horizons and make Black History Month an enriching experience every year!

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Romans 14:19 ESV