Why Celebrate?

Why do we celebrate Mother’s Day? Some people decided that moms are really great and wanted a specific time to celebrate them. But not all Mother’s Days are created equal. Ask any mom, and they’ll tell you. Some Mother’s Days are just another day, with extra flowers, cards, and food, because that mom is appreciated, cared for, and celebrated every day. In other families, Mother’s Day is a hard day, because it stirs up something deep: maybe the grief of a lost mother. Maybe the anger of an abusive mother. Maybe the fear of an insecure mother. There isn’t something magical about that date in May: it just reveals what was already there.

Black History Month. Some people use it as a time to celebrate and appreciate something important, like Mother’s Day, as a time to remember something they already care about and integrate into the term “History.” For many, it stirs up something deep. Maybe the grief that for a lot of people, “Black History” isn’t a part of “History.” Maybe the anger that many people refuse to reckon with the shameful, ugly parts of the past. Maybe the exhaustion of being told their history isn’t true: a white-washed version is what counts as “History.” Just like Mother’s Day, ask those celebrating it. They’ll tell you why.

This February, please be aware that there are a lot of feelings and experiences connected to Black History Month. Be aware of those saying we don’t need Black History Month, and ask yourself why they might be saying that. For us white people, Black History Month is an opportunity to look at our own lives and see if we are missing something. To listen to the many wonderful men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ, who are calling out and saying that there are still racial issues that need to be reckoned with. To consider that there may still be a divide between “Black History” and the subject in our minds called “History,” and how can we change that?

In celebrating this month, I’d like to share some of the resources (for me-mostly books) that have become an important part of my family’s life. Maybe it might become a part of your life too.

The plan is to share a bunch of these awesome kids books I’ve collected over the years

Then I’ll share some things I’ve written and things to watch (see above). Finally, I will share groups of books (for adults) under different themes that might be helpful for you (see below).