Black History Month is an annual opportunity to recognize the important role played by Black Americans throughout history and celebrate African American achievement.
Half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States, renowned historian Carter Woodson and minister Jesse Moorland started an organization known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Is. ASALH is dedicated to promoting the achievements of Black Americans and people of African descent. In 1926, Woodson encouraged public schools to teach black history during a week-long celebration to broaden the nation’s consciousness on the black experience. By the late 1960s, the week-long celebration evolved into what is now Black History Month.
In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month as “an opportunity to honor the often neglected achievements of black Americans in every field of endeavor throughout our history.” President Barack Obama said in 2016, “Black History Month should not be treated as if it is somehow separate from our collective American history… It is about the lived, shared experiences of all African Americans… And how those experiences shaped and challenged and ultimately strengthened America.”
African Americans and the arts
ASALH has dedicated its 98th annual Black History Month theme to African Americans and the arts. The images in this post are shared courtesy of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
This topic examines a wide range of the history and lives of African American arts and artisans. African American art is steeped in the African, Caribbean, and Black American experiences. Through the visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, cuisine, and other forms of cultural expression, African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as empowerment. Have used. Artistic and cultural movements such as the New Negro Movement, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism have been led by people of African descent and have set standards for popular trends around the world.
Bellevue honors African Americans and the arts
In honor of Black History Month, the City of Bellevue will host a public art exhibit showcasing the work of 17 Pacific Northwest-based Black artists during the month of February. The “Elevating Voices” exhibit is available to the public in the Bellevue City Hall Concourse Monday through Friday, during business hours and evenings, when City Hall is open for public meetings or events.
The City of Bellevue partnered with Seattle architecture firm MG2 and Onyx Fine Arts Collective to present the exhibition. Curated by MG2 collaborator Jay Taylor, the exhibition includes paintings, photography, sculptures, textiles and fashion. “This exhibition elevates and empowers the voices of Pacific Northwest Black artists and their lived experiences, who have often been underrepresented in our region’s public spaces and art scene,” Taylor said in a press release.
“This is the first time that the City of Bellevue has hosted a public art exhibit solely with the participation of Black artists,” Linda Whitehead, the city’s chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, said in the release. “As part of our commitment to being a welcoming city that embraces the future while respecting our past, we invite our community to view this exhibit and engage in conversations about the historical complexities of racial and social justice. “
