02/14/2025
Theologian Esau McCaulley says that there are two primary ways to view Black History Month. On the one hand, we can focus on the exemplars of American history. However, an unintended consequence of this focus is that these exemplars can be used against the Black community in a way that says Black people need to be more exceptional. The second way is to view Black history as a corrective. In this view, we learn about the Black history that was erased from the historical record.
But McCaulley wants Black history to reframe the way we tell the story of America altogether. The result is that African Americans become part of the story of the United States rather than a footnote. We must tell the stories of the accomplishments of African Americans as well as highlight those who have been erased from the historical record. We must also reckon with the difficult history of injustice.
Reckoning with this history will be a difficult task. However, if told correctly, Black history is also one of hope and resilience made possible through figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, and many others whose names aren’t as familiar but whose work still deeply matters.
Black history is still unfolding before our eyes. As Asian American Christians, we seek to know our Black brothers and sisters’ history better and continue the difficult work of reconciliation and justice as we seek first the Kingdom of God.
