It’s February, and you know what that means—bring on the Dr. King coloring sheets! But how did Black History Month even become a thing? Is there a right way or a wrong way to celebrate it? Who are some local African-American historical figures we should all know more about, and if Dr. David Childs could host a dinner party with some of his own heroes from the past, who’d be on the guest list? Our resident #BlackHistory expert answers these and other questions from listeners, and even lifts our spirits with song, in this special episode.

You’ll find many more #BlackHistoryMonth resources on our blog—go to www.democracyandme.org/category/blackhistorymonth—and be sure to check out D&Z Episode 54 on our YouTube channel, as our student podcasters and some WVXU staff take you inside the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Museum in downtown Cincinnati. 

“African-American history is American history… It is our history.”

• Briocca Green (host), Northern Kentucky University
• Dr. David Childs, professor of social studies education at NKU and adviser to the Democracy & Me program