What's Left Out of Black History Month Celebrations

thenation.com — Last week marked the beginning of Black History Month. This year, we have 29 days during which we will celebrate the many contributions of African Americans to our nation’s history. This is a month when we make heroes of people who overcame real, systemic and often legal oppression. We lift up, in President Obama’s official proclamation, “a story of resilience and perseverance” to inspire and educate the public about a part of this nation’s history that wasn’t told a generation ago. But in all of the celebration of a selective highlight reel of history, too often we overlook the reality of our present and how far we have yet to go to realize a better future where we all have enough to thrive — not just survive.

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