Welcoming Black History Month: Drawing on the Legacy of Black Literary Giants to Shape Our Present and Future
When I think of Black History Month, I’m reminded that we are not just commemorating a moment in time but actively living out and extending a rich legacy. For me—as both a Black woman and a publishing professional—this season is an invitation to reflect on the voices of the Harlem Renaissance, my favorite cultural movement in American history, and the Black Arts Movement, two eras that continue to shape how we celebrate Black identity, culture, and creativity.
From Mrs. Ogburn’s third grade memorization and recitation assignments to my grad school research papers to my recent 36-hour jaunt to NYC for The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism exhibit at The Met, I’ve experienced firsthand how the words of writers like Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Amiri Baraka, and Nikki Giovanni resonate far beyond their original context. Their genius endures because it speaks to the longings, frustrations, and hopes we still face today. Through their work, we’re reminded that writing—and the drive to tell our stories—helps us make sense of the world around us, heal from its injustices, and illuminate new paths forward.
How These Movements Guide Our Present
Fueled by the Great Migration, when African Americans fled the South and moved to northern cities in droves to escape the indignities of Jim Crow, the Harlem Renaissance was an expressive time when Black folks were able to embrace the full spectrum of their sociocultural lives through art, music, literature, photography, and fashion, while the Black Arts Movement charged us to harness art as a means of protest, progress, and social justice. For those of us working in publishing—particularly writers of color—these movements demonstrate that our stories have the power to resonate, whether we’re conveying intimate personal narratives or calling a nation to its higher ideals.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore how Ralph Ellison’s concept of invisibility still reverberates in modern conversations on representation and inclusion. We’ll look at the ways James Baldwin and Richard Wright wrestled with identity and social constructs, and how their courage can inspire us to write with unwavering conviction. And we’ll reflect on Zora Neale Hurston’s fusion of anthropology and literature—a testament to the complexity and richness of Black cultural experiences.
Writing Our Own Chapter
This month, let’s accept the invitation to immerse ourselves in the brilliance of our literary ancestors and receive their words as catalysts that spark our own. Our calling is to extend their work, bridging the past with the present so that future generations have a foundation to build upon. Whether you’re a long-time reader of these authors or encountering them for the first time, I hope you’ll join me in celebrating, learning, and writing anew.
I’d love to know: Which thinkers, writers, artists, or works from the Harlem Renaissance or the Black Arts Movement continue to inspire your perspective today? How do they deepen your understanding of your own story?