The month of February is widely celebrated as Black History Month in the United States of America and Canada.  Here in the USA celebrations started in 1976 and continue to be celebrated annually.    In many ways it’s  a time of remembrance and a time of honouring.  It’s a powerful affirmation of hope and the struggle for justice and equality that characterizes all human existence.

What ever one feels about setting aside an entire month to celebrate a group of people, there is something to be said for honoring the contributions and legacy of  Peoples that have helped to make the United States, the rich cultural, and economic icon  it is today.    This is true for African-Americans and for every other group that has worked tirelessly, overcoming struggles in one form or another and yet daring to believe in the American dream.  

The questions of equality, dignity, justice and fairness that characterised discourses in America in 1976 are still questions that we struggle with today in the USA and in countries across the world.   In its broader context these questions are really about  how  we create a just society so that all people regardless of race, creed, class sexual orientation, religious and political persuasions may have the same rights and benefits.    Re. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, whose birthday we celebrated a few weeks ago, asked these very questions.  However, he went further to articulate a vision for America in his speech “I Have a Dream.”  This speech in many ways symbolizes the central feature of a just  society. 

Thirty five years later,  this is what I hope Black History Month represents.  While the emphasis might be on the contributions of African-Americans, it should really be seen as a concerted attempt by all Americans to live out their hope, dreams and full humanity in an environment that  does not determine a person’s worth based on race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and political and religious persuasion.  Afterall it was Dr. King who so eloquently reminded us that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”