Black History Month 2025
By Monserrath Angel
From the beginning of February until the beginning of March each year, we are reminded of the significance of honoring the important people and events in the lives of African/Black Americans. Predominantly known as a U.S. event, this month is also recognized in Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. It is celebrated in February due to its historical connection to Jim Crow laws—a racial caste system used to segregate Black and white people. These laws enforced anti-integration policies in schools, hospitals, and many other public facilities and accommodations from 1887 to the mid-1960s. Officially recognized in 1976, Black History Month honors the contributions made by African Americans to the U.S., such as building the country's early infrastructure and significantly contributing to the labor force. Africans also brought their culture to the U.S., influencing American music, food, and folklore.
Music is one of the biggest components of the cultural influence that African Americans have had on American society. Most music genres were created by Black musicians. In the 1920s, many talented Black artists performed in New York City’s most famous nightclubs, including Harlem’s Cotton Club, popularizing jazz. By the late 20th century, Rock and R&B became widely popular during the 1950s, especially in New York City, where even Italian New Yorkers began to embrace these genres. However, despite bringing joy through music, Black musicians were still beaten and chased out of New York neighborhoods, often denied the opportunity to perform. Moving closer to the present, the 1980s marked the rise of hip-hop—a genre that originated from jazz and R&B. This genre, which incorporates rap and other musical elements, remains highly influential today.
Another significant aspect of African American cultural influence is food. The Transatlantic Slave Trade led to the forced transportation of 10 to 12 million enslaved Africans to the Americas during the 16th century, allowing them to bring over traditional and cultural recipes. One example is red beans and rice, a dish with roots in New Orleans. Rice was grown using West African techniques, while the red beans were most likely introduced by Haitians who had ties to Africa and France in the 1790s. This dish is often paired with andouille sausage—a smoked pork sausage that originated in France. Today, red beans and rice remains a well-known meal in other countries, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, and beyond.
African American folklore, a storytelling tradition that evolved within African American communities in the Americas throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, was another form of cultural expression. Slaveholders often forced enslaved people to suppress their traditions, making storytelling a vital means of preserving history and identity. One well-known folktale is The Man Who Never Lied, which tells the story of a man named Mamad, rumored throughout his village to have never told a lie. When the king heard of Mamad’s honesty, he devised a test—ordering him to tell the queen to prepare a great feast for lunch the following day. However, this was a trick to make Mamad lie. The moral of the story is to not let anyone trick you into wrongdoing.
These cultural contributions and experiences are why America dedicates the month of February to African/Black Americans, recognizing their impact on history and society.
