Around this time of the year, many Presbyterians are making plans to celebrate the vast contributions of African Americans to this country. Resources are made available, speakers are invited, and visits are planned to local museums and heritage centers. While any time is good for recognizing African American heritage, the months of January and February are especially significant.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

January 15 is the date set apart to recognize the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The leadership of Dr. King and all who made sacrifices to make real his philosophy in America still challenges us to remember the interconnectedness of all humanity. The suffering and oppression of one group of people directly affects us all.

“Any religion that professes to be concerned with the souls of men and yet is not concerned with the economic and social conditions that strangle them and the social conditions that ripple them is the kind the Marxist describes as ‘an opiate of the people.’”1

Dr. King’s birthday is not a time for giving material gifts or for singing and dancing. Instead, it is a time for personal introspection. This birthday celebration calls us to a place of deep reflection where we face how each of us can make this a world where all people have the opportunity to experience justice, freedom, and peace. It is a time for each of us to examine the prejudices and the “isms” that have us bound to fear and disconnected from the faith that we profess. As we celebrate the gifts of Dr. King, we cannot allow his life and legacy to excuse us from our responsibilities.

There are many ways for us to make the dreams of Dr. King our own dreams. Here are four ideas:

1. Youth, mission, and evangelism groups can lead the way in organizing voter registration transportation services during election years.
2. Bible studies on social justice and peacemaking can lead to additional activities and ministry opportunities.
3. A literary club highlighting the works of Dr. King and other peacemakers can also be held throughout the month of January.
4. Congregations or presbyteries can sponsor a lecture series on Dr. King’s philosophy as it relates to our country’s changing international relationships.

1. Peter J. Paris, Black Religious Leaders: Conflict in Unity (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1991), p. 117.

Black History Month

Black History Month was first introduced to this country in 1926 as Negro History Week. Dr. Carter G. Woodson established this time of recognition while he was working on his Ph.D. at Harvard University. The scholar was disturbed by his inability to locate history books that included the black American population. Books that did include information about blacks largely reflected the inferior social position they were assigned at the time.

Black history can now be celebrated in a variety of ways during the month of February. African Americans and other American citizens rarely have an opportunity to experience an in-depth African American history lesson in school. By celebrating Black History Month, churches have the opportunity to strengthen relationships between cultures and add to the self-awareness of African Americans. Congregations may host heritage festivals encouraging dress in African attire, offering a meal featuring traditional African foods, sharing oral stories reflective of African history, and acknowledging the gifts given to America by the people described by the poet Langston Hughes as the darker brother—contributions to music, science, medicine, education, dance, politics, poetry, religion, and technology.