Since the early years of the 1970s, the month of February has been the official appointed month dedicated to what we all know/should know as Black History Month. Black History Month, better known as National African American History Month, is a yearly commemoration where praise and honor are given to those African-Americans who have contributed to our nation’s history. The time where we are to give respect to those who have struggled through hardships, oppression, and have truly worked firmly in making a difference for people of color. So why is it that we continue to celebrate the same individuals time and time again? It is more often than none that we tend to overlook the reality that we have not yet truly aspired to educate the public of our nation’s history beyond what they’ve learned from their typical history classes. We must go as far as to teach our nation the part(s) of history that take place in both our past and in our present. Here are just 8 African-American individuals, out of many, that are taking a stand during the 21st century. I doubt you’ll hear about them during the month of February:
- Van Jones — Jones is a well known author, having written two New York Times bestselling books, “Rebuild the Dream” and “The Green Collar Economy”. He is the cofounder for numerous nonprofit organizations while working as both a non-practicing attorney and co-hosting on CNN’s political debate show, Crossfire.
- Charlene Carruthers — Carruthers is known for her role as a African-American queer feminist activist. Most of her work has been with organizations such as Color of Change, Black Youth Project 100, and Women’s Media Center. She strives to inspire young leaders to take a stand and fight for community interests and social issues.
- Rosa Clemente — Clemente is a independent journalist, having written material for many magazines including The Black World Today, Urban Latino and The New York Times. She is also known for her work as being a Hip-Hop activist, and in 2002, she was named as one of the top 50 Hip-Hop Activists to look out for in the Red Eye Magazine.
- Bryan Stevenson — Stevenson is known as a social justice activist, advocating for those who have been wrongfully charged by the prison system. He is both the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. His current project, The Memorial to Peace and Justice, is his attempt to document over 3,000 lynchings of African-American people in southern states during the 1870s to the 1950s.
- Michelle Alexander — Alexander known as a civil rights advocate and writer, while teaching at the Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law. Her book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” argues that systems of racial oppression has only been replaced with something new. Her book as gone on to become a bible of sorts for the new generation of civil rights activists.
- Ta-Nehisi Coates — Coates is often known for his many titles. An essayist, journalist, author and educator. He is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, where you will find that most of his work is written about political, cultural, or even social issues in regards to African-Americans.
- Fania Davis — Davis is known as being the younger sister of political activist, Angela Davis. She is the founder of Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth, creating new programs for children. Her programs also help the public schools around the area reduce suspensions and lower juvenile justice systems for those students of minorities.
- Benjamin Crump — Crump is a civil rights attorney, known for his reputation in demanding accountability in court cases that have a severe amount of media coverage and civil rights implications. He has taken on the cases of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and even, Alesia Thomas.
For more information on activists of the 21st century, visit: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-civil-rights-l... OR http://fusion.net/story/376392/2017-political-resolutions-janet-mock/
