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Politicians, activists, and artists poignantly usher in Black History Month

They're tweeting history lessons, memes, and the work that's needed ahead.

 

Samantha Grasso

IRL

Posted on Feb 1, 2017   Updated on May 25, 2021, 2:13 am CDT

This year’s Black History Month arrived at an unprecedented time, with our first black president having been replaced by a man who outwardly questioned his citizenship for years, a man who also recently picked bones with a prominent civil rights leader who happens to be the last living speaker from the March on Washington

At the same time, the month also follows awards for films such as Hidden Figures, Moonlight, and Fences, showcasing the importance of sharing black stories and history.

It’s a complicated moment in history, to say the least. Amid the circumstances, black politicians, activists, writers, and entertainment icons ushered in the country’s first post-Barack Obama era Black History Month with tweets of celebration, humor, and remembrance.

https://twitter.com/ava/status/826808640996728832

https://twitter.com/ira/status/826792283131478017

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https://twitter.com/owillis/status/826662677489577984

https://twitter.com/freeblackgirl/status/826864208583225344

Though Black History Month has sustained its Twitter trending topic status throughout the day, it’s this thread by Huffington Post front page editor Philip Lewis that’s already won Feb. 1.

Happy Black History Month, folks! Though, for the record, spending a month learning about the black American history that’s been written out of history books should just be the beginning.

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*First Published: Feb 1, 2017, 3:16 pm CST