It’s that time again y’all. The shortest month of the year where “they” give us a little bit of time to celebrate Black History. But you know what- We are black every month. 365 days a year. So we should be celebrating our blackness EVERY SINGLE DAY. Here’s 10 ways to celebrate Black History year round.
BUY BLACK
Keep our dollars in our communities and support black businesses. Shop your local black owned boutique in-store or online. If you have access to them, shop black owned grocery stores, beauty supply stores, nurseries… errrthang. You can also shop collections that celebrate Black History from larger retailers, like the Target Black Beyond Measure Collection. Shop my Mess In A Bottle Tee that I’m wearing here. I’m wearing a size medium.
DINE BLACK
While you’re supporting black businesses, be sure to include black owned restaurants. We’re still dealing with a pandemic and indoor dining is still not available (and not safe in my opinion) in some places. But on them days when you decide to treat yourself to some takeout, make it a priority to order from black restaurants. If you’re in Brooklyn, then check out some of these black owned restaurants that I’ve been to personally.
READ BLACK BOOKS
Read books by black authors and about prominent black figures. Regardless of the genre you enjoy, there’s tons of books to add to your reading list or book of the month club. You can start with Queen Cicely Tyson’s Memoir Just As I Am, Barak Obama’s A Promised Land, and Michelle Obama’s Becoming, to name just a few.
WATCH BLACK SHOWS
Watch shows & movies by black creators and producers. There are so many to choose from, old and new, from a variety of networks. Start with black TV networks like Bounce TV, BOP TV and ALLBLK TV (formerly UMC). Then surf other networks for their line up of black content. Some networks have made it easy to find this content with dedicated collections. Hulu has the Black Stories Collection, while Netflix has the Black Lives Matter Collection and HBO has the Celebrating Black Voices Collection. You’ll find shows like Shonda Rhime’s Bridgerton, Issa Rae’s Insecure, Ava DuVernay’s Queen Sugar and Kenya Barris’s Blackish. You can also binge watch a lot of the Black sitcoms that you probably watched growing up- Living Single, Girlfriends, Moesha, The Parkers, Fresh Prince and more!
Amazon has an amazing collection of black content as well, original and oldies but goodies- Regina King’s One Night In Miami, Sylvie’s Love, Harlem Nights, Soul Food, A Different World and more.
WATCH BLACK DOCUMENTARIES
When it comes down to black history, we only get HIS-story in school. And growing up we only got PBS specials and documentaries about slavery. Our history is so much more than slavery. That’s why it’s important to do your own research to educate yourself, your children and others. These days there’s a variety of black documentaries from black producers that celebrate black history and tell our stories. I’d highly suggest I Am Not Your Negro on Amazon Prime Video, When They See Us and 13th on Netflix and Confirmation on Hulu amongst others.
VISIT BLACK CULTURE INSTITUTIONS
Visit institutions that celebrate Black History and Culture. For instance- The National Museum of African American History & Culture in D.C., which is the world’s largest museum dedicated to black history & culture. You have the MoCADA Museum and Weeksville Heritage Center right here in NYC. Also check out the Motown Museum in Detroit and The Black Hair Experience Pop Up in Atlanta. You can wait until outside is open and it’s safe to go in person. However, most of these institutions are currently offering digital programming and exhibitions.
DONATE TO BLACK ORGANIZATIONS
Donate to organizations that fight racism and social injustice such as Color of Change, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. and Until Freedom. These are some organizations that I know of, but it’s best to do your own research before handing over your coins.
SUPPORT BLACK CONTENT CREATORS
As a Black Digital Content Creator, I personally know the amount of work that goes into bringing you guys a variety of content. Mostly unpaid. When we do get paid campaigns and collaborations, we are often undervalued and underpaid compared to white content creators. Show us some love and support by liking, sharing and engaging with our content on social media, along with our blogs. If you’re not following me already, be sure to Follow me on Instagram and Subscribe to my YouTube channel. You can also show support by shopping through our affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from your purchases.
CELEBRATE BLACK HOLIDAYS
We don’t have too many holidays to call our own. So let’s celebrate the few that we do have. I celebrated Juneteenth for the first time last year and plan to make it my business to celebrate every year. I would also like to start celebrating Kwanzaa this year, which is a celebration of Family, Community & Culture.
CELEBRATE BLACKNESS
I am Black History, and so are you. So Celebrate Blackness. Periodt. Rock your natural hair with pride. Whenever & Wherever. Wear your kente print headwraps & face masks. Wear your tees with messages that celebrate black culture & excellence. Blast your black music. Cook soul food. Simply be blackity black and proud every day. While you’re at it, do your best to strive for greatness and leave your mark on the world.
How do you celebrate black history? Share in the comments!
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