Out of the 365 days in the calendar year, the 28 days (or the 29 if we’re lucky enough with the extra day for leap year) that I look forward to the most are those dedicated to the celebration of Black Excellence, more formally known as BLACK HISTORY MONTH. No amount of gifts under the Christmas tree or mouthwatering, sleep-inducing food on the Thanksgiving table can muster up the level of excitement in my spirit equivalent to the love that I have for Black History Month. And Lord knows that I live for anything involving FAMILY and FOOD!

But let me stay focused: My adoration for Black History Month has always and will always be centered on one undeniable fact: There is no other time when Blackness is more celebrated, centered, honored and represented in education. If you decided right now to take a stroll down the halls of schools across the city of Dallas, your eyes will be drawn to beautiful doors decorated by teachers with images of notable Black scientists, historians, mathematicians, and authors. You will hear the echoes of books and speeches being read to children about iconic civil rights and social justice leaders. Continue your journey down to the theatre and arts department, and you’ll have the privilege to experience musicals and drama performances highlighting some of the most critical moments in American history. At our best schools, you’ll find representation of Blackness embedded intentionally into the academic curriculum for students to broaden their perspectives and critically analyze society through conversation.

Mr. McDonald’s 6th Grade English class at Desoto West Middle School

But even with all the love that I share for Black History Month and how powerful I believe these 28 days can be to the learning and social development of all students, there is ONE PROBLEM that always ruins the holiday….. IT ENDS!

As soon as the clock strikes midnight on March 1st, Black History Month is officially over. Not only on the calendar, but Black History Month completely ends in our minds, in our hearts, and in our efforts with our students. Down come all of the door decorations and school decor celebrating Black excellence. Those culturally responsive books that deeply engaged students are placed back on the shelves to collect dust until next year. And even more sadly, we shift back to our “standard” curriculum that only centers one perspective and experience. I don’t have to imagine what students feel throughout the remaining 337 days of the year without representation, because I experienced it first-hand.

#RepresentationMattered For Me

David McDonald in Elementary School with classmates

A few months before I was about to enter my first year of elementary school, my parents got divorced. My mother moved our family from Dallas to Mesquite to live with my grandmother. She believed this was the best decision for her two sons based solely on the accolades received by Kimball Elementary School, which happened to be a couple skips up the street from our front door. It is undeniable that I received a great education through my primary and secondary schools.

But what neither one of us could have anticipated were the social challenges that I would encounter for the next 12 years of schooling. I don’t remember every experience during my first two years of school, yet there are a few memories that are etched into the walls of my mind that I will never forget.

I remember none of my teachers sharing my same skin complexion.
I remember asking my mother why I couldn't be in Ms. Dooberry’s class (the only Black teacher in our elementary school).
I remember not seeing any books in the library with main characters with my physical features.
I remember reading the book “No David” over and over again simply because we shared the same name (and maybe the same attitude!)
I remember being bored in school. Nothing seemed to connect with my experience.
I remember receiving consequences for asking, “Why does this lesson matter to our lives?”
I remember our textbooks--filled with the accomplishments and achievements of Americans, none of whom looked like me.
I remember learning about Black people in our history class, but they were always enslaved.
I remember getting frustrated about only learning about MLK and Rosa Parks every February.
I remember not being allowed to complete my research project on Malcolm X.
I remember loving Shakespeare’s Othello because he had a little melanin.
I remember swearing that I would never become a teacher because my school didn't value me (I was completely wrong as you now know).

Most importantly... I remember graduating! I remember walking across that stage with all of the honors and chords demonstrating that I exceeded the necessary requirements in learning about english, mathematics, science, and history.

I learned much later that I actually walked across that stage learning
little to nothing about myself, my culture, or my history.

You see, I was fortunate enough to attend The University of Texas at Austin where I was afforded the opportunity to receive a degree in African & African Diaspora Studies (or as I like to call it, a Bachelors of Arts in Self). This was the first time in my entire education experience that my identity was centered in an academic setting outside of reading the “I Have a Dream Speech during Black History Month every year. We perpetuate inequity through our schools when students of color are required to reach a certain education status before they are granted the opportunity to learn about their identity, culture, and history. Our students are forced to prove their own value before we recognize that who they are has value!

College was the pivotal point that shifted my life trajectory and positioned me towards the path of becoming an educator. I finally believed that education was a space where I belonged. I just wish that it didn't require me to wait 12 years to be lucky enough to attend a university with a profound Black Studies curriculum. But we have the power now to change this damaging reality for the sake of our students.

#RepresentationMatters NOW

The students who walk through the doors of our schools every morning shouldn’t have to wait! They shouldn’t have to wait until their month or week appears on the calendar to see representation of themselves. They shouldn’t have to wait until they get to college to access a curriculum that centers their identity and experiences. And they shouldn't have to wait on us to change. Our most important commitment as educators is the one that we make to our students! The commitment that we will provide an educational experience that empowers them with the tools to be successful both academically and socially. It is our responsibility to honor that commitment for all of our students.

At this point, you may be thinking to yourself “YES, I want to do better! But how?” The answer is quite simple yet ironic: Educators need education! The effort to increase representation must ignite first within us! I truly believe that the essential element required to spark a change in any system is EDUCATION. This is the first and most critical step toward honoring our commitment to all students. I share just a few tools that have been essential to fueling my fire in culturally responsive teaching and authentic representation. Don’t hang up another door decoration, read another speech to your students, or say “Happy Black History Month” without acquiring one of these transformative books for your teaching practice.

(Links directly to Amazon! Just click → Add to your cart → and begin the journey!)

The Dream Keepers by Gloria Ladson-Billings
For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y'all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education by Chris Edmin
No BS (Bad Stats): Black People Need People Who Believe in Black People Enough Not to Believe Every Bad Thing They Hear about Black People by Dr. Ivory Toldson
Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain by Zaretta L. Hammond

You can also download this FREE RESOURCE
5 Ways to Incorporate Black History Month into Your Classroom!

AGAIN, I LOVE BLACK HISTORY MONTH! And we should continue all of the celebrations and traditions that schools create for this momentous occasion. But we must acknowledge that a millennium's worth of history CAN NOT be encapsulated in just 28 days. #RepresentationMatters 24/7 and 365 days out of the year. I hope that you will start or continue the work required to create learning communities where students are valued and have the opportunities to engage with curriculum that is representative of their experiences. But if I have yet to convince you that students deserve the opportunity to see representation throughout the school year, I’ll leave you with a final question…

What do our students internalize when we decide, as educators, that your experiences
only matter when the calendar says so?

#Representation Matters Beyond Black History Month