February is Black History Month! Whoohoo!
It is the shortest month!
Black History used to be a week, so having a full month is a step in the right direction, I guess.
To me, Black History is every day. Each February, I post about Black History daily. I highlight Black inventors, firsts for Black people, and share pieces of our history. It’s hard for some people to grasp that Black History is American History.
Technology and Black History – great inventions you didn’t know about
In the past centuries, many inventions by African Americans paved the way for today’s technology.
For example, George Crum created the potato chip during the summer of 1853.
Frederick McKinley Jones developed refrigeration equipment and air-cooling units for trucks, trains, ships, and planes.
Garrett Morgan invented the traffic light.
Alexander Miles invented automatic doors on the elevator.
Marie Van Brittan Brown designed a security system.
This is only a small portion of what African American inventors contributed to society. You can find a lot through a simple Google search.
Now, I’d love to challenge you to not just learn about Black History. Learn and grow by reaching across the table to Black people. I want you to take time today and evaluate your circle. Black History is beautiful, inspiring, amazing, makes me proud and so much more. Black people you meet today are also beautiful, inspiring, amazing, make me proud and so much more. Instead of just enjoying Black History Month, commit to building relational equity with a Black person. Please don’t say you don’t see color, because you do. As a Black person, I want you to see my color, but not treat me differently because of it.
As a country, we have come a long way, but there is still a long way ahead of us. One thing we can do to keep the love moving along is to diversify our circles and build bridges and not walls.
Sometimes, fear can keep us from leaning in. Maybe the media. Sometimes stereotypes. Or some other times, it is something that you heard or learned. Everyone is not the same, no matter what fear may let you believe.
As a mom of three daughters, I teach them not all White people are racist, not all cops are bad, and not all Black people are criminals. This is important to reiterate, because so much happens around us in this broken world.
You may say you don’t know how to reach across to a person who doesn’t look like you. Perhaps, begin with something you have in common and build from there. It could be as simple as you both are parents, have kids on the same team, work together, live in the same neighborhood, shop at the same places. Then, listen to their stories, because they will certainly differ from your own. It may even be hard to believe their experience because it’s not yours, but don’t doubt their story, because you did not walk in their shoes.
Stand with them, fight for what’s right with them, and for them. Be an anti-racist and ally and put in the work! It’s better when we work together, and change CAN happen. From my heart to yours.
If you want to know more about me, here is the link to my first book.
