Beyond Celebration: A Deep Dive into Black History in America

Black History Month in the United States, observed every February, formally recognises the profound impact of Black Americans on the nation's fabric for over a century. What began as a week-long observance has flourished into a month of vibrant events and celebrations. This comprehensive course, "Black History Month," invites you to go beyond celebration to truly understand how we reached this point, and how to reconcile America's founding principles of freedom with its enduring legacy of racism and oppression.

Black history is American history. For too long, the immense contributions of Black people across arts, sciences, literature, sports, philosophy, politics, military, and medicine have been overlooked or minimised. This course aims to correct that narrative, paying homage to the individuals and organisations whose enormous impact has shaped the United States.

What You'll Explore: This course provides a foundational understanding of the Black experience, highlighting key moments in history, examining the power of language, and celebrating Black excellence across various fields. You will delve into:

• The Power of Words and Language: Understand how language can uplift or oppress. Explore concepts like linguistic subordination, where the language practices of stigmatised groups, such as Black English or African American Vernacular English (AAVE), are unfairly perceived. Learn about code-switching as a linguistic technique and how to avoid contributing to anti-Black linguistic racism. The course also addresses the origins and problematic nature of offensive and outdated terms and euphemisms historically used to demean Black people.
• A Brief History of Black History Month: Trace its origins from early observances like Douglass Day to the vision of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the "Father of Black History," and its evolution to a nationwide month-long recognition.
• Key Moments in Black History: Journey through the timeline, acknowledging that Black history predates slavery in America. Explore the African Diaspora, the Emancipation Proclamation and Civil War, Reconstruction and Jim Crow, and the rise of Black activism. Understand the Civil Rights Movement and the continuing fight for resistance, civil disobedience, and social justice, from the Underground Railroad to the Black Power Movement and Black Lives Matter.

This course is designed to broaden your understanding, fill knowledge gaps, and increase empathy, empowering you to stand up for justice and help build a more equitable future.

Begin your journey to a richer understanding of Black History, and by extension, American History, today