What is Black August? An explainer for white people
Have you ever heard of Black August?
For all the years of condemnation, segregation, and second-class citizenry, black culture and black people deserve appreciation and widespread embrace. The shortest month out of the year is clearly not enough.
It almost feels like giving Black people one month of appreciation is an even farther upper hand slap to the face in an attempt at appeasement. For the countless years of tumultuous treatment, welcome to this culturally creative piece detailing, “Black August.”
At Kulture Hub, we embrace Black August by focusing upon accountability. We must be accountable to cultural heritage, the ones who paved the path, and those who tried their hardest to change the landscape.
We also make it our journalistic duty to hold those who prove to behave unjustly to a high standard of accountability. Everyone in this world has free will and all choices have consequences.
Why should I care about Black August?
Black August originated from George Jackson’s struggle during the San Quentin Prison Riots. The effort to commemorate legends of color is about reconnecting and reminding citizens how powerful you can be together.
It also serves as a time for collective grief, clarity, rage, and rebellion. It is of the utmost importance that those elements be channeled nonviolently. The fact of the matter is, members of the human race are fed up with the way fair-skinned continue to enslave and brutalize people of color.
Whether overt or covert, the truth is glaring and systemic racism still exists as an undeniably putrid cobblestone to our country’s foundation.
How to put your best boot forward
Black August is a time to reflect, revitalize, revisit and refuel. In order to carry the legacy of ancestors and carry on the fight toward solidarity, reflection proves crucial.
Being able to take a moment, pay homage to the ones who laid the groundwork, and truly reflect for days will determine what best course of action you might choose.
Additionally, August provides perspective in a way that allows productivity. The reason being, it is the last month before seasons start to change, school is starting and it can be a time to take inventory of your priorities.
If social justice continues to make the top of that priority list, enlist yourself into community-driven initiatives!
Some legends that could inspire your personal movement
Regardless, Black August deserves more traction. People like Gertrude Dorsey Brown, W.E.B. DuBois, or Fred Hampton are all honorable candidates to truly immerse yourself within and study the actions that made them effective.
All the details matter and in order to avoid history being repeated, we must possess inalienable familiarity with previous happenings.
With that, please do your Googles, not just during Black August. Keep absorbing wisdom, making the sacrifice through headstrong resistance, and spreading love. Avoid distractions on your path.
Most importantly, let go of thoughts and patterns that no longer serve your best interest. With these things, you can flourish within your life and do your very best to try to dismantle ancient practices within our colonialist country.