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Black History Month? Yes! No! Maybe! No? No! [1]
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Date: 2025-02-05
On January 31, 2025, Trump issued a proclamation observing February as Black History Month. He specifically mentioned Frederick Douglass, calling him a representation of “what is best in America and her citizens.” Douglass, who didn’t know his exact birthdate, celebrated it on February 14th.
You may recall that on February 1, 2017, Trump remarked, “Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who’s done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more, I notice.” His odd use of verb tense—suggesting Douglass, who died in 1895, was still alive—earned him significant criticism from journalists. Following Douglass’s death, February 14th became Douglass Day, an important observance celebrated in Black communities that continued into the 1940s.
In November 2017, Trump signed legislation to establish a commission to plan celebrations for the 200th anniversary of Frederick Douglass’s birth, which would take place in February 2018. Born in February 1818, Douglass escaped slavery and became a powerful orator, statesman, a leader in the abolitionist movement, and a supporter of women/s suffrage.
Douglass was known for his powerful speeches and tireless efforts to end slavery. He not only held prestigious federal appointments under five U.S. presidents but was also the first Black man nominated for vice president of the United States.
It’s possible that Trump knows little about Douglass's legacy. If he did, perhaps he would criticize Douglass’s unwavering stance on justice rather than celebrate him. In his famous 1857 speech, “West India Emancipation”, Douglass stated, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, or it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” His words resonate today, particularly in the current political climate.
Another poignant quote from Douglass, delivered on July 5, 1852, in his speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” captures his powerful critique of American hypocrisy: “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” For Douglass, it was morally wrong to celebrate independence while millions of African Americans remained enslaved. If Douglass were alive today, he would likely be one of Trump’s most vocal critics, challenging the very ideals Trump claims to uphold.
So now, Trump declares February as Black History Month, all while pushing forward his Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This move has sparked confusion and backlash. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently announced they would halt all activities and observances related to Black History Month, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, LGBTQ Pride Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and other such commemorations, all in compliance with Trump’s anti-DEI executive order. Secretary Hegseth announced that DOD will no longer observe ethnic pride months. Likely, he will still hoist a few on St. Patrick’s Day, despite his promises otherwise.
Black history is vital to understanding America. It is impossible to grasp the complexities of this nation without acknowledging the struggles and triumphs of African Americans. To explore this deeper, I recommend scrolling through a comprehensive timeline of Black History, such as the one found here:
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history-timeline-table/. Understanding the breadth of Black history offers a fuller picture of America’s past—and its future.
Time left to January 20, 2029: 1,444 days
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