Trump can’t erase Black history

[cartoon id="292699"] According to those who were in attendance, a Black History Month reception held at the White House last week contained all the glitz, opulence and pizazz of previous celebrations. Donald Trump made an effort to demonstrate a degree of appreciation to the Black community by praising individuals he viewed as representative of Black American progress, including attendees Tiger Woods, Sage Steele, and  unsuccessful political candidate Herschel Walker. But the dissonance in the East Room was undeniable. Although Trump saluted the contributions of Black Americans at the event, he has spent pretty much every day since his inauguration denouncing and prohibiting federal programs aimed at challenging economic and social inequality in America. Furthermore, he suggested that actions taken by the civil rights movement over the past several decades have victimized white people. Let’s not forget he blamed a deadly plane crash over the Potomac River on diversity programs in the Federal Aviation Administration. The event proceeded despite rumors the White House was considering cancelling all similar activities, as government agencies have been frantically shutting down such events in light of Trump’s executive orders. The president has spent the past several weeks nullifying decades of diversity efforts throughout the federal government and beyond, replacing many Black employees from the federal workforce and launching a fierce culture war on “woke” diversity, equity, and inclusion policies he disparaged as “dangerous” and “immoral” race-based programs. Such gestures have not been immune from criticism and cynicism Detractors decried last week’s event as a blatant example of the president simultaneously lauding and discrediting Black history. “This White House celebrating Black history is like asking a cow to serve steak,” said Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organizatio. “He’s holding a celebration at the same time that he’s banning the people from learning about history and civil rights.” Only hours before the reception, Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy White House chief of staff for policy, derided D.E.I. policies and said his move against them is among Trump’s biggest accomplishments in his first month in office. “This nation has been plagued and crippled by illegal discrimination, diversity, equity, and inclusion policies,” Miller said. “It strangled our economy. It has undermined public safety. It has made every aspect of life more difficult, more painful and less safe.” Such a comment is foolish and outright nonsensical. The fact is Black people have a complex and vibrant history distinct from other ethnic groups because of the experiences that have been visited and inflicted upon us. By exploring and acknowledging Black History Month, the nation is paying homage to a group of men and women leaders and inventors, as well as the traditions and triumphs of people of African heritage. Black Americans have contributed tremendously to the vitality and success of the United States — a nation where some people never intended for us to obtain full citizenship or be fully included within the panorama of American culture. Black History Month undercuts reductive cultural stereotypes by highlighting vital facts, notable statistics and distinguished accomplishments. Although media portrayals of Black people have improved notably over the past few years, particularly in commercials, the triumphs are far too often obscured and dismissed from public discussion. The indisputable reality is racism has always been a part of this nation. It is deeply ingrained in the fabric of our culture and is as American as apple pie. What we have witnessed over the past several years is blatant, undisguised bigotry — the type that many white people had to keep disguised and leashed since the 1950s and early 1960s — and this prejudice is now being allowed to unapologetically permeate various sectors of our society, in many cases without consequences. We have brazen, right-wing politicians like Trump, Miller, Defense secretary Pete Hegseth and others who routinely stoke the flames of racial and cultural animosity and division. The time is ripe for a reinforcement of Black excellence to combat such racial resistance. Since the time of this nation’s inception, Black Americans have had to wage a historically long battle, fighting to obtain rights that were supposed to be guaranteed by our constitution — rights most other groups have taken for granted. The mountains and minefields that our ancestors had to face head-on and triumph over are a testament to their impervious strength and spirit. We are enduring similar battles today in the 21st century. Being Black in America often means dealing with history and with people who have been defined by rivers of blood, mountains of sweat, piercing pain and more than a few tears. Black history is not some celebratory event that should be confined to one specific month of the year. The history of Black people, like other ethnic groups, is one that deserves our full and undivided attention on an ongoing and eternal basis. - Copyright 2025 Elwood Watson, distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate Elwood Watson is a professor of history, Black studies, and gender and sexuality studies at East Tennessee State University. He is also an author and public speaker.