Black History Month: Truth, Memory, and the Struggle for Justice at Home and Abroad

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By Adam Rizvi | Editor, The India Observer (TIO): Black History Month is not merely a ceremonial observance—it is a call to confront uncomfortable truths about America’s past and present. From the legacy of slavery and segregation to ongoing struggles with racial inequality, mass incarceration, wealth disparity, inadequate healthcare, homelessness, and rising living costs, Black History Month forces us to reflect on whether our nation has truly learned from its history.

As Americans debate foreign policy priorities and billion-dollar military commitments abroad, many communities at home continue to struggle. Charity, as the saying goes, begins at home. Before illuminating the world, we must ensure that our own house is not left in darkness.

Black History Month marks nearly a century of organized remembrance, beginning in 1926 when historian Carter G. Woodson, often called the father of Black history, launched Negro History Week. His goal was simple but revolutionary: to ensure that African American history and contributions were studied, preserved, and respected at a time when they were largely ignored in U.S. schools.

Woodson chose February to honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and Frederick Douglass, a formerly enslaved man who became one of America’s most influential abolitionists. Woodson believed that understanding history was essential not only for Black progress, but for America’s moral integrity.

Today, Black History Month is observed across North America in February and in parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom, in October—underscoring its global relevance.

Despite progress, African American history remains unevenly taught. Critical chapters—slavery, Jim Crow laws, the Ku Klux Klan, the Tulsa Race Massacre, and the origins of Juneteenth—are still missing or minimized in many curricula.

Just over a century ago, Tulsa, Oklahoma, witnessed one of the deadliest racial massacres in U.S. history. In 1921, the thriving Black community of Greenwood—known as Black Wall Street—was destroyed by white mobs. Hundreds were killed, thousands were displaced, and generational wealth was erased. Yet for decades, this tragedy was absent from textbooks.

History that is not taught is history that risks being repeated.

Faith has long been a source of resilience in Black America. Today, Islam is among the fastest-growing religions in the United States, with many African Americans drawn to its emphasis on equality, justice, and opposition to racism and economic exploitation.

The Quran reminds humanity:

“O people, We created you from a single male and female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most honored of you in the sight of God is the most righteous.” (Quran 49:13)

This principle of moral equality resonates deeply with the African American struggle.

Mainstream narratives often reduce Africa to stereotypes of poverty and conflict, overlooking its rich intellectual, spiritual, and cultural legacy. Long before European colonization, Africa was home to thriving civilizations and centers of learning.

Many Africans forcibly brought to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade came from Muslim regions of West Africa. Today, nearly 40 percent of Africa’s 1.4 billion people are Muslim, highlighting deep historical ties between Africa and Islam.

One of the most powerful symbols of racial equality in Islamic history is Bilal ibn Rabah, an Ethiopian former slave who became the first Muezzin, chosen by Prophet Muhammad not for status or lineage, but for character and faith. His legacy stands as a timeless rejection of racism.

In America, remnants of this history survive in places like Sapelo Island, Georgia, where descendants of enslaved African Muslims trace their lineage to figures such as Bilali Muhammad—a reminder that Islam has been part of the American story from its earliest days.

During Europe’s Dark Ages, Islamic scholars preserved and expanded knowledge from Greek, Roman, Persian, and African civilizations. Timbuktu, in present-day Mali, emerged as a global center of scholarship, drawing students from across the Muslim world and beyond.

These histories matter—not to divide, but to correct false narratives and reaffirm shared humanity.

Across history, oppressed communities have often recognized one another’s struggles. Nelson Mandela famously said:

“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”

African American history—marked by segregation, police brutality, and systemic inequality—has frequently intersected with global movements for justice. These shared experiences have shaped solidarity movements rooted in civil rights, anti-colonialism, and human dignity.

Black History Month encourages reflection on how struggles against injustice—whether domestic or international—are connected by common principles: accountability, equality, and respect for human life.

At a time when Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives face political pushback, Black History Month remains more relevant than ever. It is not about division; it is about truth, education, and building a future informed by lessons of the past.

As Carter G. Woodson envisioned, Black History Month should remain a cornerstone of learning—empowering people of all backgrounds to confront injustice and work toward a more just and inclusive society.

The moral call is clear: injustice anywhere diminishes justice everywhere.

Editor’s Reflection | Adam Rizvi

Black History Month is not only about remembrance—it is about responsibility. A nation that forgets its past risks repeating its worst mistakes. Honoring Black history means defending honest education, standing against racism in all forms, and reaffirming our shared humanity across race, faith, and borders.

At The India Observer, we believe informed readers build stronger communities. Truthful history is not a threat—it is a foundation.

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