Growing up in school we learned a sugarcoated version of slavery and Black history. We learned how Harriet Tubman freed the slaves, the role Martin Luther King Jr. played during the civil rights era (and became convinced that the only speech he ever gave was “I Have a Dream”) and sometimes, if we were lucky, we learned how Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man and how that action led to change.

But in the wake of everything changing around us and the threat of our history being erased, we must move beyond the same few stories and celebrate Black history in a way that elevates our talents, inventiveness, intellect and contributions. Because these elements of our existence have impacted not only the United States but the world.

Our history as a people in this country is unique. It was pain and suffering that brought us here and while that struggle is what connected us as a people for so long, it was our resilience and joy that kept us connected. We endured a great deal of pain and suffering but over time the diaspora found ways to repurpose that pain and suffering, flip the script and connect ourselves through the creation of a new culture.

That culture is often now coveted by societies at home and abroad. Our culture sets the precedent for modern days trends, it deserves to be celebrated, taught, appreciated and honored. And it is centered around joy. Through innovation, creation, and execution, Black Americans have helped shape and build this nation in a way that no other race has and we are an integral part of its continued success.

From inventors like Garrett Morgan who invented the traffic light, to musicians like Fats Domino who helped pioneer rock and roll music, or scientists like Daniel Hale Williams who performed the first open heart surgery and opened the first interracial hospital, and trailblazers like Oprah who truly show us that your dreams can indeed come true even if you come from nothing.

Even though the teaching in schools is limited and now at risk of being erased all together, we know that our culture and successes have had and will continue to have a lasting impact on both this country and around the world.

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