You can't erase Black history from America
An undated photograph of 19th century abolitionist Harriet Tubman that experts say was taken in upstate Auburn in the late 1860s. Credit: Courtesy Swann Auction Galleries via AP
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month.
The idea of celebrating the often overlooked contributions of Black Americans took root in 1926 when Carter G. Woodson, a historian, established "Negro History Week."
What we have learned this past century is that Black history is American history. But despite the blood, sweat and tears Black Americans have shed here, it seems the current administration is focused on rewriting history while we watch.
President Donald Trump's 2026 proclamation declares "this month ... we do not celebrate our differences. Instead, we celebrate the contributions of black Americans to our national greatness."
Just a few days after his proclamation, a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes was posted on his Truth Social account. Republicans and Democrats were outraged and the video was removed. Trump said he was the "least racist president you've had in a long time." His actions show otherwise.
In March 2025, Trump signed an executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." It directed federal agencies to remove what they deemed to be "divisive" or "ideologically driven" narratives from monuments, museums and historic sites.
They argued that certain interpretations inaccurately portray America's past. This has resulted in the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture having exhibits altered because they focused on slavery and civil rights.
In April, a few items were removed from being displayed in the museum, including Harriet Tubman's hymn book, the Bible belonging to the leader of a 19th century slave rebellion, Nat Turner, and a book called "History of the Negro Race in America" along with a Bible that was carried during civil rights protests led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The Smithsonian said that items were removed due to loan agreements and museum practices around preservation, but the timing was suspicious, given the executive order.
There are generations who don't know the brutality of slavery or are old enough to remember what life was like for Black people before civil rights laws were enacted. These objects were in a national museum to recount the ugliness of the past. Giving witness to them can help ensure this overt racism is never tolerated again.
Trump's erasure didn't stop there.
In late January, in Philadelphia, informational signs about slavery were removed from the President's House Site, operated by the National Park Service. The signs were about nine African Americans held by President George Washington and his wife Martha.
The administration this year also removed MLK Day and Juneteenth from the list of federal holidays when you can enter national parks for free.
Black history reflects a long struggle for self-determination. It is part of America's story, and it is ours. Two things can be true at once: We can acknowledge that the treatment of Black people in this country was deplorable, and we can learn from it too. Allowing history to be edited will allow Americans to forget it. There is nothing to celebrate about that.
MEMBERS OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD are experienced journalists who offer reasoned opinions, based on facts, to encourage informed debate about the issues facing our community.
