The first of February means that it is Black History Month, a federally recognized celebration of black history that began in 1976. Prior to that it was actually Black History Week, which is generally credited to a man named Dr. Carter Woodson, who said, "We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice."

I was once very skeptical of Black History Month, thinking that the history of a race should not be confined to a month, nor that the race should be divided from that of American history. I still stand by the thesis of one of my college papers that being black in America is more American that anything except probably being rich and white in America.

That said, as we continue to separate ourselves from slavery and the Civil Rights movement, a month dedicated to the history of a race that frankly has a lengthy and important history in this country simply cannot hurt. As long as it is tied to American history. Black history is American history and American history is the entirety of Black history. Especially in those communities that are still struggling as poor and largely black, the history of their communities and leaders is invaluable knowledge.