February 23, 2025

Experiencing Black History Month

 Brittney Melton, NPR - Every day is Black History Month for me. When I look in the mirror, I see the storied history of my life that spans generations — and the possibility of a continued legacy.

My family, especially my mom, has always championed my pride in myself, my skin and my place in this world as a Black person. That sentiment is heightened in February as we celebrate who we are. When I graduated high school years ago, I thought learning about my history might falter once out of the academic setting, but that didn’t happen.

Over several years, my family group chat has celebrated each day of Black History Month with a different fact. Each member of the group takes turns contributing knowledge. I enjoy reading the facts, but even more so, I enjoy researching things I never knew, creating a small presentation, sharing it with my loved ones and seeing how they respond.

I kicked off the month for my family’s fact-giving tradition. My favorite topics to share are about changemakers making a difference right now. So many firsts are happening daily, and many people are making a difference in someone’s life. Those are stories worth telling.

This is exactly why I wanted to hear from the Up First audience about Black people making a difference in their communities right now. One person nominated a man who uses his powerful singing voice to entertain his local community with lyrics about equality. Another nominated a woman who formed a pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic that has become a community staple.

Amplifying those positive stories, no matter how big, can impact change. Read the stories about some of the Black people making a difference in their community here.


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