Why Begin With American Black History

365 Days of American Black History Is Not a Political Statement.

When children learn about George Washington, they don’t learn about him as a “political statement.” When they learn about pioneers, inventors, or immigrants, we don’t treat those lessons as ideological, we are objective. That means we learn based on facts and evidence. Not personal beliefs.

American Black History is often labeled as "political" instead of "objective" because when American Black stories and people are studied, the information often also exposes unfair systems as well. The moment history explains power, inequality, or structure, leaders stopped hearing it as "history" and start hearing it as "politics." Not because it is political, but because it challenges comfort.

Generations ago, the standard "American History" was defined without Black people included. It was shaped by White scholars, White institutions, White classrooms, and White political leaders.

Black Americans have been present since the very beginning of this country. Teaching that truth across all 365 days simply reflects the historical record.

When American Black History adds missing facts, voices, and consequences, it doesn't add opinion ... it corrects the record.

That is difficult because many historical topics allow for emotional distance. American Black History does not. It raises unavoidable questions. That moral weight makes people uncomfortable. Acknowledging harm is not the same as assigning personal blame. And avoiding truth does not create unity, it created fragility.

When Black historians, educators, and families finally tell their own history, it is usually framed as "activism" simply because it comes from those who were once silenced. In reality, it is historical authorship reclaimed.

How to Teach American Black History Without Politicizing It

• Teach it as human history.

• Ground it in evidence, timelines, lives, and systems.

• Frame it with care, not accusation.

• Center on dignity, not dominance.

This is objectivity. Objectivity is not silence. Objectivity is completeness.

Organizations like the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture emphasize that African American history is foundational—not supplemental—to understanding the United States. Their work makes clear that separating Black History from “American History” creates an incomplete story. Commenting on the museum, the Founding Director, Lonnie G. Bunch, III is quoted as saying:

"This museum will tell the American story through the lens of African American history and culture. This is America's Story and this museum is for all Americans."

This curriculum follows that same principle: teach the full story, simply and honestly "through the lens of African American history and culture."

The National Endowment for the Humanities supports integrating African American history into mainstream historical study—not as advocacy, but as scholarship.

Making American Black History a part of mainstream history doesn’t divide children.

It grounds them. It integrates history, and it reflects America honestly.

It teaches that America has always been complex, interconnected, and shaped by many hands. That understanding builds context—not conflict.

American Black History is often labeled political not because it lacks objectivity, but because it reveals truths that were long excluded from the "standard" or "neutral" story. When History expands to include those once left out, it can be polarizing because of how adults, systems, and narratives handle it. Good education builds context first, then explains and illustrates the complexities.

American Black History isn't political by nature; it becomes politicized when truth challenges comfort.

Why This Matters

By teaching American Black History early, gently, accurately, human centered and without ideological pressure, you are helping restore trust in History itself. You are showing children that truth doesn't require explicit language or graphic imagery to be honest, complexity doesn't require rage, and acknowledgement doesn't require shame. Not politics. Education.