Recognizing Black history as American history
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Trudy Palmer Deputy Daily Editor
February is Black History Month in the United States. That may be the reason Knopf timed its reissue of Toni Morrison鈥檚 sole stand-alone short story for Feb. 1.
Whatever the reason, the timing is appropriate, since history is central to the work of this Nobel- and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist.
In her 1987 masterpiece, 鈥淏eloved,鈥� for example,聽Morrison looks at slavery and its aftermath, allowing readers to see that painful past anew 鈥� its horror, yes, but also the depth of character and agency of those enslaved.聽
鈥淔or me, the history of the place of Black people in this country is so varied, complex, and beautiful. And impactful,鈥� Morrison says in the 2019 documentary 鈥淭oni Morrison: The Pieces I Am,鈥� which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival seven months before her death.聽
Without the Black perspective, history is incomplete, inaccurate, she argues.
Black History Month takes a similar stance, zeroing in on the people, places, and accomplishments often omitted from American history. But there鈥檚 a risk in that approach. Does a monthlong focus on Black history make that material more or less likely to be recognized as聽American history year-round? 聽
A group of Monitor editors asked that question as February approached. Should we feature a slew of pieces during Black History Month or persist in our commitment to make Black perspectives a regular part of our coverage throughout the year? We settled on the latter. And not just for Black Americans but for all people of color in the U.S. and beyond. 聽
That approach seemed truest to the guidance Mary Baker Eddy gave when she founded the Monitor in 1908. In the paper鈥檚 first editorial, she wrote, 鈥淭he object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.鈥澛�
Striving to bless all mankind is a daily endeavor, not a monthlong one.聽
At the end of 鈥淭he Pieces I Am,鈥澛燤orrison describes an experience at an art fair in Vienna. Standing in a dark room with her hand touching a special mirror, she sees a woman approaching on the other side of it who puts her hand up and touches Morrison鈥檚.聽
鈥淣either one of us said a word,鈥澛燤orrison explains. 鈥淛ust interest, curiosity, and human connection.鈥澛�
She continues, 鈥淭hat experience says more and much about what I think I鈥檓 doing when I write. I know I鈥檓 not you. I know I don鈥檛 know you. But I know this,鈥� she says, holding up her hand as if touching another鈥檚.聽
We hope you find in our pages each week in print and online daily opportunities to touch hands with a wide range of people, to find in their perspectives 鈥渋nterest, curiosity, and human connection.鈥�
