We are celebrating two Black history anniversaries this month: the 100th anniversary of Negro History Week, established by Dr. Carter Woodson in 1926, and the 50th anniversary of Black History Month, established by President Gerald Ford in 1976.
Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History,” created Negro History Week to ensure the contributions of Black people were celebrated and included in American history, believing that education was key to fighting racism.
President Ford urged all Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every endeavor throughout our history” during Black History Month.
Coincidentally, both anniversaries occur in 2026, which is the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which asserts that “all men are created equal.”
Comparing the inclusive visions of Dr. Woodson and President Ford to President Trump’s recent statements and actions highlights how their words and values differ sharply on the role Black people have played in our history.
When President Trump proclaimed February as National Black History Month, he stated, “Black history is not distinct from American history; rather, the history of Black Americans is an indispensable chapter in our grand American story,” reframing Black history as merely part of a larger narrative. This diminishes hard-fought victories of Blacks and the unique significance of their roles in our democracy.
Trump has said that some Black history lessons may teach negative views of America. He also believes the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture focuses too much on slavery. He has ordered that references to slavery and Black history be removed from national parks and government buildings, erasing essential American narratives.
Trump has also refused to apologize for a now-deleted racist social media post featuring former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle. Though the White House blamed a staffer for the post, Trump insisted, “I didn’t make a mistake,” yet another contrast to Woodson and Ford, who worked to ensure not only that Black history was honored but that racism was confronted.
Fortunately, we live in a town that celebrates and embraces Black history every year. Some of the local Black history activities happening this month include:
- Marblehead High School has daily morning announcements that highlight different historical figures, as well as a “Name That Tune” challenge that features prominent Black artists.
- Marblehead School of Ballet held an AfroBeats Workshop with Victoria Adinkra. The event featured dance styles from Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa, along with fun choreography inspired by the latest Afrobeat trends.
- The Marblehead Task Force Against Discrimination has organized a community book club to read and discuss Percival Everett’s “James.” The novel, published in 2024, retells the story of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the enslaved character Jim, called “James” in the novel. The Task Force invites book clubs in Marblehead and nearby communities to join their discussion at the Abbot Library on March 25 at 7 p.m.
- The Marblehead Racial Justice Team presented students at the Veterans School with portraits of two African-American heroes: Congressman John Lewis and Harriet Tubman. The event included a performance by the Veterans School chorus, who sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called the Black national anthem. Afterward, students read prepared passages about Lewis and Tubman and their significant contributions to U.S. history.
The Marblehead Museum, led by Lauren McCormack, is a tremendous resource for the town on Black history. McCormack and her staff have researched and published information about Black, Indigenous and people of color who lived, worked and were enslaved in town. This includes Lucretia and Joseph Brown, in whose honor the Brown Elementary School is named. Their findings are available in the Free and Enslaved People of Color in Marblehead Online Database on the museum’s web page. It contains information on more than 150 people of African and Indigenous descent who resided in Marblehead until the end of the 19th century.
In June, the Museum plans to open its inaugural exhibit, “Resistance and Resilience: Slavery and Freedom in Marblehead,” in the Jeremiah Lee Brick Kitchen & Slave Quarters. The exhibit will focus on the experiences of free and enslaved people of African descent in Colonial Marblehead.
We should recognize Marblehead’s ongoing support of the METCO (Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity) program. The program was started almost 70 years ago by parents in Boston and suburban towns. Its goal is to give children from racially segregated schools in Boston and racially isolated schools in the suburbs the opportunity to learn together in integrated public schools. Marblehead has hosted METCO students since 1967.
We are lucky to live in a town that preserves history rather than rewrites it. We are fortunate to live in a town that celebrates everyone’s contributions, past and present. May this year’s anniversaries remind us of who we are, where we came from, how we got here, and how Black history has helped make Marblehead so special.
