Editorial: Black History Month presents opportunities

We are at the beginning of Black History Month, our annual opportunity to explore the past and ponder the future of America’s Black community.

For 29 days, educational, cultural and government institutions, among others, will take time to explore the triumphs and struggles of Black Americans.

Much of the observance typically focuses on slavery and the civil rights movement in the South. That’s certainly understandable, since so many seminal moments of Black history took place there.

But there’s much more to it than that. The history of the Black presence in the North demands attention as well. This region is an excellent place to start.

Black history is knitted into the fabric of our communities in many ways. Pennsylvania has its own history with slavery in its early years that too often is overlooked. Later our region was home to stops on the famed Underground Railroad for escaped slaves, some of which people can still visit today.

A good example of this is the Six Penny Creek community near Hopewell Furnace at the border of Berks and Chester counties. The area was affiliated with the Underground Railroad and was founded by escaped slaves from the South who found work in the iron forges of the region. On Feb. 11 the Friends of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site will host a Black History Month presentation on the settlement and its role in the Underground Railroad and nearby furnaces. The program will be held at 2 p.m. at Hopewell’s visitor center theater in Union Township, Berks County.

Black Pennsylvanians were strong activists in the effort to attain equal rights for people of all colors and creeds after the Civil War. And Southeastern Pennsylvania has produced many accomplished Black individuals in a wide variety of fields including science, the law, academia, politics, arts and athletics, just to name a few.

We urge readers to check with local colleges, museums, libraries, historic sites and history organizations for further resources on local history and information on other events related to Black History Month.

Public gatherings are a hallmark of this annual observance, bringing people of all races and ethnicities together. They offer an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans and commit to continuing efforts to fight the racism that lingers in this country despite all the advancements we’ve achieved over the past 60 years or so.

America’s Black history is an important, complex topic covering hundreds of years, and people would do well to explore it more than just four weeks each year. But the annual February observance is important nonetheless.

Some may question why this observance is needed or contend that it is wrong to single out one group for this kind of attention. But for far too long Black Americans have been singled out for mistreatment. And even after decades of efforts to increase understanding between the races, there’s still plenty of work to do. We’ve learned that all too well in recent years. Even deciding the best approach for teaching Black history is now fodder for political hostility.

Rather than despair over the difficulties so many of us have connecting with one another on these issues, we must continue to work at it. The better people of all races understand the Black experience, both past and present, the more likely we are to come together and develop more productive relationships between the races.

But remember that Black History Month is not just an opportunity for people to feel good about seeking racial harmony. Its observance presents us with significant challenges. During this time we are called upon to reflect on the difficult experiences of our past, face up to the many difficulties facing members of the Black community today and contemplate solutions to make things better in the future.

That last point is particularly important. Inspiring people to help create better times ahead is as important an aspect of Black History Month as reminding people about the tragedies and triumphs of the past and present. Let us work in a strong, cooperative spirit to make that happen this month and far beyond.