Nearing the End of a Hijacked Black History Month

Unfortunately, this year’s Black History Month marks a somber point of regression in racial justice: what was once a period of celebration has become a period of survival and battle for remembrance, awareness, and group integrity. The battle between Civil Rights advocates and groups against conservative institutions & governments has been waging on for decades, centuries even. The actions of this administration, however, have been exceptionally critical of DEI policy and racial reparative initiatives. Amid the majoritarian priorities of the administration, concern and frustration has surfaced among African American, Latinx, and other racial minority 2024 Trump voters.

Critics of President Donald Trump cite multiple instances of his allegedly blatantly racist comments or graphics — including a recent post portraying Michelle & Barack Obama as apes on his Truth Social account, as well as a surfacing clip of him making remarks about children in Baltimore - a city with a predominantly African American population, where he claimed “They were born to be criminals”. In accordance with these comments, the Trump administration has at length targeted African Americans in leadership roles and historical institutions dedicated to the remembrance of slavery and historical discrimination of African Americans.

Referencing the conclusion of Black History Month, it is necessary to count the losses — or rather the attacks — on the integrity and dignity of the historically disadvantaged and brave. These attacks total to a number far higher than the amount of days in this month, yet many occur in silence or leave a trail so thin they are impossible to trace and recover from. We must preserve the history of one of the most oppressed groups in history of this country, and remain informed on the injustices the group continues to face. The following is not just a list of losses for African American rights’ advocacy groups: it is a record — albeit not nearly a complete one — of the censure of African American history by an empowered majoritarian federal government.

• Executive Order 14253 - Directs federal agencies to review and remove “improper ideology” or “divisive narratives” from federal cultural institutions, specifically targeting the National Museum of African American History and Culture

• Smithsonian Museum Reorganization - Order of federal review of exhibits and educational materials that are “divisive” or fail to align with a narrative of “Americanism”

• Removal of Pentagon Website Acknowledgements - Removal of content emphasizing the contributions of Black service members, such as the Tuskegee Airmen

• Executive Order 14151 - Abolished federal DEIA activities across the government. Led to massive efforts against positions and resources associated with it. Many minority federal employees targeted for “lack of qualification”.

• Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Reduction - An institution that historically helped fund and support museum operations, historical preservation, community outreach, and education, nearly eliminated

• National Park Service Sites - Removal of panels about slavery at historic sites like the Independence National Historical Park

Proponents of the administration argue that the actions above target divisive messaging and cut “wasteful” use of taxpayer money. Opponents challenge the reality of the division and argue that the racial consequences of the cuts and changes above outweigh the alleged fiscal benefit. Regardless of political standpoint, reading and mentioning the elimination of the IMLS does not return it to its former size or lead us closer to a reversal of the order reducing it. What it does is keep alive the memory of this administration’s actions — agreeable or not — as well as the institutions affected, and the history that is being lost to them.