Black History Month

Black History Month stands as a yearly reminder that the narratives, struggles, brilliance, and resilience of people of African descent are indispensable to understanding the story of the United States and the wider African diaspora. Its roots stretch back to 1926, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson launched Negro History Week to combat the erasure of Black contributions from national memory. His work, building on the founding of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915, created the foundation for the month long celebration formally recognized in 1976. At its heart, Black History Month is, and has always been, about storytelling.

Across generations, storytelling has been a vital practice in Black communities, preserving cultural identity through folktales, oral histories, and personal narratives shared in families, churches, and community spaces. Storytelling provided a way to pass down experiences when education was restricted and voices were intentionally silenced. It is a tradition that confronts oppression, makes visible the unseen, and affirms the lived realities of Black people. 

Usisahau.org: Reclaiming Memory Through Community Storytelling

Within this powerful lineage of narrative preservation stands Usisahau.org, a digital storytelling platform whose name—Usisahau, Swahili for “lest we forget”—encapsulates its mission. The site serves as a multigenerational call to action to ground, heal, and affirm Black stories across the African diaspora. At a time when historical narratives continue to be contested, restricted, or diluted, Usisahau.org offers a space where Black people can share written, audio, and video stories that reflect the fullness of their experiences, cultures, and identities. [usisahau.org]. 

Usisahau.org’s impact lies in its commitment to three interconnected practices:

1. Preservation of Memory. The platform encourages users to “reflect, learn, and connect,” echoing the foundational goals of early Black History Month pioneers like Woodson who sought to preserve histories systematically excluded from the mainstream. By archiving personal stories and community reflections, Usisahau.org acts as a living museum—one shaped not by scholars alone but by everyday people.

2. Community Healing and Connection. Black storytelling is not simply historical—it is emotional, communal, and restorative. Usisahau.org recognizes that memory-work can heal collective trauma, empower individuals, and strengthen intergenerational bonds. This aligns with longstanding African diasporic traditions of using narrative as a tool for survival, resistance, and celebration. 

3. Cultural Education and Empowerment. By making personal and community stories accessible, Usisahau.org helps expand what Black history can look like in classrooms, cultural institutions, and public spaces. In the spirit of Black History Month’s continued evolution, the platform supports a deeper understanding of why remembering matters—echoing the 2026 theme focusing on commemoration, preservation, and impact.