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Dear Delaware Democrats,
This Black History Month, we honor the generations of Black Americans who built this country, fought to expand democracy, and worked to create a more just and equitable future. There is no American history without Black history.
Black History Month began in 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week to ensure that the contributions of Black Americans were taught, studied, and celebrated. February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. In 1976, that week became a nationally recognized, month-long observance; an acknowledgment that Black history is American history and must be preserved, shared, and passed on.
Black History Month exists not only to celebrate achievement, but to tell the full truth about our country, its struggles, its progress, and the ongoing pursuit of equality. That truth matters. And today, it is under attack.
The Trump Administration has made clear that confronting the realities of our past makes them uncomfortable. Across the country, programs that teach Black history have been rolled back, diversity and equity initiatives dismantled, and institutions designed to expand opportunity targeted or weakened.
We have seen experienced Black leaders pushed out of government and the military, leaders like Charles Q. Brown Jr. , under the guise of eliminating what the administration labels “DEI.” This sends a dangerous message about whose leadership is valued and whose is not. It is part of a deliberate effort to pretend that racism and discrimination are problems America has already solved.
We reject that lie.
Black history is essential because it deepens understanding, challenges stereotypes, and helps bridge divides. It highlights achievements in science, politics, education, arts, labor, and public service that have too often been ignored or erased. It provides role models for young people of all backgrounds and sparks critical conversations about justice, equity, and the work still ahead.
Black History Month is not about the past alone. It is about protecting truth in the present and committing ourselves to a more inclusive future.
This month, and every month, we stand with Black communities. We defend the teaching of honest history. And we push back against efforts to erase progress or silence stories that deserve to be told.
Black history deserves recognition, protection, and celebration, not just in February, but every day.
In partnership,
Evelyn Brady Dr. Michael Benson
Chair, Delaware Democratic Party Chair, Delaware Democratic Party Black Caucus
Paid for by the Delaware Democratic Party Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee www.deldems.org
Delaware Democratic Party
P.O. BOX 2065
WILMINGTON, DE 19899
United States
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