Black History/Futures Month - Celebrating Blackness Everyday

Feb 24, 2020

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In celebration of Black History Month, over the last several weeks we highlighted six artists who are inspired by Afrofuturism and Afrosurrealism, and whose work in turn inspires us. In case you missed it, check out our Instagram account for a peek at these artists’ incredible work. 

This month, we honor and remember the people who fought for recognition, like Carter G. Woodson who created the first “Negro History Week” in 1926, and the educators and students at Kent State University who first coined “Black History Month” in 1970. We show gratitude for these pioneers of cultural justice who fought for the national recognition of Black leadership, accomplishment, and contribution to this country. 

Today Black History Month is celebrated nationally and even internationally. Institutions, businesses, and organizations recognize the month of February as a time to uplift Black achievements throughout time. For the US Human Rights Network, Black History Month is an important time to honor and recognize the traumas and hard fought wins of the past, as well as to continue the legacy of Black leaders’ and ancestors’ envisionings of a future where Blackness is celebrated everyday. 

We imagine a future where Black history is taught all year round as American history and world history; where the visions of historical Black leaders are not sanitized by white supremacy nor used to perpetuate capitalism; where truth telling about the experiences of Black folks in this country, historically and currently, is woven into the cultural fabric of everyday USA. 

We dream of and are working towards a future where Black folks are unbounded by structural racism, white supremacy, internalized oppression, and economic inequality; a future where Black folks are mentally, spiritually, and physically supported by a cultural movement that encourages their freedom to dream and to pursue their dreams unhindered. 

This dream is why we chose to highlight a series of powerful Afrofuturist and Afrosurrealist artists who are imagining and creating their own Black Futures, beginning with the late, great, Octavia Butler, and culminating with the visionaries at Intelligent Mischief who themselves embody the dreams of their ancestors. We are excited to announce that the US Human Rights Network will be working with Intelligent Mischief this year to develop our own cultural strategy — stay tuned for updates coming soon!

We look forward to building our future — a transformative culture of human dignity and human rights where each person has the freedom and respect to reach their full potential — with you.

In solidarity,

US Human Rights Network