Community Voices for Health

By Kylie Spiro, Communications Coordinator, BAMSI

Since 1976, the United States has designated February as Black History Month. The month-long commemoration celebrates the rich culture, triumphs, and adversities experienced within the Black community.

February was chosen primarily because the second week of the month coincides with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two of the most influential figures in the national debate over slavery in the 19^th century.

Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) designates a new theme for Black History Month.

This year’s theme, African Americans and the Arts, will highlight the varied history and life of African American arts and artisans. The ASALH has shared that this theme “puts into the national spotlight the richness of the past and present with an eye towards what the rest of the twenty-first century will bring.”

Among notable artisans to spotlight during Black History Month are Harriet Powers, an enslaved woman and quilt maker who was known for visually communicating through her narrative quilts; David Drake, an enslaved man and potter who would inscribe his pots with rhymed couplets during a time when it was illegal for slaves to read and write; Thomas Day, a free Black man who became one of the most well-known furniture craftsman and cabinet makers in North Carolina. To this day, his pieces are still highly sought after.

If you’re looking for opportunities to celebrate Black History Month throughout February, here are a few ideas:

• 10 books you can read your kids
• 21 Black documentaries that can educate and inspire
• Learn more about Black artisans and the art forms they created

By recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans, we honor their legacy and embrace our nation’s full history, and not just that of people in historical positions of power and privilege.

At BAMSI, we believe the diversity of our community is one of its greatest strengths. We promote diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility and are committed to creating meaningful and sustained change for all staff, persons served, and the communities in which we serve. To learn more about BAMSI’s mission and services and how you can become involved, visit www.bamsi.org.