My Black Is Beautiful - Recognizing BHM

My Black is Beautiful – Recognizing BHM

I truly have been thinking about February since the first of January. We are in such a special place right now, in our history and in our country, it seems that all of my senses are heartened and heightened to what it means and what it has meant to be African-American. It is so very important that we know about us, so that we can teach, reach and nurture our children and even young minds outside of our own homes. The very fact that this website and social media movement of SOBFOL has come to fruition for such a time as this, is further proof to me that we can no longer wait and hope, but we must turn our hope into tangible results through our ability to make things happen for our future. I am a firm believer that the hope and success of our future relies greatly on our perspective and understanding of our past. They saying goes, “we can’t get to where we are going if we don’t know where we have been”…or something close to that. And it’s important to know the whole story; it shapes us and gives us focus. We must remove our focus from negativity and defeat if any is found, and place our focus towards building on the good and taking pride in triumphs that we are sure to find if we only look.

So here we are! February of 2017 and we need to recognize Black History Month. We must acknowledge the struggle of even getting this month long holiday on record and understand how it even came to be. Did you know?...

Before we had Black History Month, there was “Negro History Week” which was acknowledged during the second week of February. This week was chosen because it coincided with the birthday of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass which Black communities had celebrated since the 19th century. The week long observance was initiated in 1926. Fifty years later, in 1976, Negro History Week was expanded to Black History Month, which more recently is also known as African-American History Month.

I wanted to share those few facts about BHM and from there I want us, as black women, to reflect on the incredible contributions that “WE” have made to our history in many, many diverse ways. I have been on a mission since the move “Hidden Figures” to know more and to search for the greatness within me and others who look like me. So I challenge you, my sisters, to seek and find the Queen within you and the princess with the young sisters along your path. Educate yourselves so that you have something great to share with them while engaging with them. It’s for our own good. It’s for our greater good! Each generation should strive to raise the next generation to be better. Our history is so rich! So much has gone into making us who we are today. It’s not to be taken lightly or for granted. Blood, sweat and tears are real, and those who were on the front lines for us so many years ago, if they could they would tell you…IT WAS WORTH IT! And there are plenty of warriors still here, on the battlefield and they are making their voices heard even today. Let’s live our lives as though we can hear them speaking these very words. “It’s worth it! You are worth it! It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. We still have some difficulties, situations and circumstances that require daily prayer and perseverance. It’s worth it. Recognize it, acknowledge it and celebrate it! We are Strengthening Our Black Females Out of Love. Keep watching the site this month for more on Fabulous Females of

February. We are SOBFOL.