What are your plans for Black History Month? Are they enough?

Black History Month was made "official" in 1976 by President Gerald Ford, as an opportunity "to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history." Of course, the presidential declaration was a culmination of a long fight for the acknowledgment of Black contributions to this country, beginning in 1926 when the historians Carter G. Woodsen and Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, and set aside a week in February to honor Black history.

Most bookstores acknowledge Black History Month in some manner. They will create special displays for Black History Month. They may host a special event, or assign books by Black authors for store book clubs and storytimes. But these things have become almost rote actions. A month later they will do the same things for Women's History Month. A month after that, for Poetry Month.

"To honor" is "to show great esteem and respect." And this is something we could all ask ourselves as February and Black History Month approaches. Does a book display really show "GREAT respect"? Are there other things a bookstore can do that would be more in the spirit of honoring the history and impact of Black Americans, and the meaning of Black History Month?

Ron Carucci and Christopher Littlefield, who write about leadership issues for Forbes Magazine, have created a kind of checklist for business leaders to bring the original meaning and purpose of Black History Month back to the forefront, based on the work of Dr. Zoe Spencer, activist professor of sociology at Virginia State University and CEO of Diverse Relations Group LLC.:

1. Test your assumptions about Black history. Does "Black History" for you begin with slavery? Did racism end with Martin Luther King Jr and the Civil Rights Amendment?

2. Be brave enought to challenge your version of history. Black people have been denied credit for many of their accomplishments. This is simple fact. Don’t be afraid to unlearn.

3. Examine how the media shapes your narrative. How many Black faces do you see in the television programs you are watching, and what are their roles? What about your social media feeds? Who are you choosing to follow and friend?

4. Challenge unfounded narratives when you hear them. This is where bookstores shine. Bookstores are centers of knowledge and information. They are in the business of putting knowledge into the hands of their customers, and of advising people what is worth reading. So it is worth asking, how is your store plan for Black History Month challenging some of those unfounded narratives?

Ultimately, Dr. Spencer notes, Black History Month should be "a meaningful, honorable, and transformative experience for all," and one that "expands our knowledge of and respect for Black contributions to world civilization."

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