Black History Month, Then and Now

The Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASALH), an organization founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1915, is credited with the establishment of Black History Month. (Learn more about its history here.) Senior Planet talked to Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, its National President since January 2025, about the organization and her role. She is also a Professor of Communication and Africana Studies at Loyola University in Maryland. Dr. Whitehead carries forward a mission that spans over a century: to research, preserve, interpret, and disseminate Black history across all communities and throughout the entire year, not just during Black History Month.

How did you get involved with this work?

My father was involved in the Civil Rights Movement in South Carolina, and so I’ve always been concerned and involved in the ways in which we teach our history, we promote our history, and we protect our history. It was an interesting time to be elected as a national president…because it was during the changes that were happening politically in the country, and it really was a moment for us to make a very bold proclamation that Black history will continue to be celebrated during February, it will continue to be uplifted, protected, promoted and preserved during the rest of the year.

When you look back at the organization’s origins, what core values or intentions still guide you in this work?

For ASALH, our mission is uniquely stated in our title, in the name of who we are, that we are pulling together people within spaces and ideas to be able to promote our history and how Black history is uniquely tied to the American historical narrative, and that without Black history, there is no American history, because we are an essential part of the story of the development of how America became America.

We are uniquely committed to disseminating Black history, whether it’s through our journal, whether it’s through our bulletin, whether it’s through pulling together our Black History Month, or through our annual conference, but we are making sure that no matter where people are, they’re able to connect with ASALH.

What challenges does the organization face?

Black History is under attack. Our history cannot be erased. It was not written in pencil. It was written in pen, and then that’s the pen that was filled with the ink and the blood of our ancestors. So what I tell people is they need to focus on doing their part, and your part is learning the history. Your part is teaching the history. Your part is uplifting the history. You cannot focus on those who are seeking to destroy us. You have to focus on those who are doing the work to preserve us.

How can older adults get involved, especially to continue to honor that passage of knowledge?

There are three things that people can do. One is they need to join ASALH. Membership is important. Being a part of the conversation is important. You can’t make change when you’re outside of the room. You need to be inside the room. That’s what Shirley Chisholm said: if they don’t have a chair for you, you bring your own chair inside the door. So joining ASALH, too, is learning our history; get those essential documents, whether it’s our journal or bulletin; and pour yourself into the work of learning our history. The third thing is, you have to build up the muscle of resistance. It is not something that when you’re in a situation, like a movie and everything kicks in, and you know what to do. You actually have to train yourself on what does it mean to resist.

Want to trace your own family history? Check out Senior Planet’s February 24 session on Digital Genealogy Tools. Details are here.   

What does aging with attitude mean to you or to ASALH?

Recognizing that as long as you are here, you still have a purpose, you still have a voice, and you still have work to do. You make that commitment to take care of yourself, your mind, your body, making sure that you’re putting in the good work so that you can continue to contribute to this country. If you are still here and you’re aging with grace and with purpose, then that means you have work to do. You have knowledge that can be passed on. You have experiences that you can share. You still have energy and you still have enthusiasm, and you have the wisdom that comes from the years of having to live through this struggle.

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

Attend their February luncheon on February 28, or get involved with an ASALH branch near you.

Want to know more Black History? Check out Senior Planet’s features on The National Black Doll Museum, The African American Cultural Garden, The True West: America’s Black Cowboys, Bonnetta Adeeb Shows Seeds of Resistance, and join us on February 18 for a virtual tour of the legacy Martin Luther King, Jr. in Washington DC.  Details are here. 

YOUR TURN:

What do you do for Black History Month? Share your ideas in the comments!

Photo: Marty Williams Photography

NaBeela Washington, an emerging Black writer, holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University and Bachelor’s in Visual Advertising from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has been published in Eater, The Cincinnati Review, and others. Learn more at nabeelawashington.com