As the United States marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, a wave of activism and new educational initiatives has emerged in response to what advocates describe as a politically charged environment hostile to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Last year’s executive actions targeting DEI programs and recent federal rollbacks—such as the removal of a slavery exhibit in Philadelphia and the ending of free Juneteenth admission at national parks—have raised alarm among educators and civil rights leaders.

“States and cities are nervous about retribution from the White House,” said DeRay Mckesson, executive director of Campaign Zero, in reference to the Trump administration’s stance. “So even the good people are just quieter now.” Mckesson’s group, along with Afro Charities, has responded by launching a nationwide Black History Month curriculum. The program involves over 150 teachers and aims to expand access to thoughtfully developed resources.

This renewed emphasis on education is reflected in two major publications being released this week. First, journalist Angélique Roché’s graphic novel, First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth, chronicles the life of Opal Lee—known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth”—and her decades-long fight for federal recognition of June 19 as an emancipation holiday. The book, featuring lesser-known figures like Texas’s first Black millionaire William “Gooseneck Bill” McDonald and Opal Lee’s mother, Mattie Broadous Flake, aims to reach classrooms and libraries in an accessible format.

“There is nothing ‘indoctrinating’ about facts that are based on primary sources that are highly researched,” Roché said. “We’re far more alike than we are different.” The graphic novel is scheduled to publish on February 3, 2026. (Oni Press announced it last year; prior details confirm the February release.)

Meanwhile, Harvard professor Jarvis Givens has authored I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month. The book, named after a line in James Weldon Johnson’s poem “The Creation,” comprises four essays that explore key themes and counter misconceptions in Black history. It is being released alongside a “living history campaign” organized by Campaign Zero and Afro Charities to teach students how to become historians themselves.

Carter G. Woodson, widely considered the “father of Black history,” established Negro History Week in 1926 to counter widespread ignorance and harmful stereotypes. According to Robert Trent Vinson of the University of Virginia, Woodson believed education could be a tool for self‑empowerment, and he promoted Black history through informal networks—homes, churches, clubs, and publications—when institutions failed to include it.

Vinson suggests Woodson would view today’s environment as familiar—and affirming. Woodson coined the term “fugitivity” to describe the strategic, even subversive sharing of knowledge outside dominant structures. “That is happening today,” Vinson said. “Black History Month is one of those moments when you can be more out and assertive.”

“Resistance to teaching Black history is something that seems to occur every generation,” Mckesson added. For the centennial of Black History Month, educators and advocates are responding with renewed strategies—and a conviction that the “informal networks” preserving history will continue to do their work.

Why this matters for Cowlitz County: Local school districts and cultural organizations may find renewed momentum in incorporating these new resources. In particular, educators seeking to supplement standard curricula could benefit from the graphic novel format and essay-driven explorations of Black history, especially amid concerns that political pressures might influence textbook content or resource availability.

As schools and community groups in Longview and Kelso observe Black History Month, these national efforts offer tools, inspiration, and a model for resilience in teaching—and celebrating—the full American story.

Sources:
AP News: “Black history centennial channels angst over anti‑DEI climate into education, free resources”
People: “The First Graphic Novel on Juneteenth Is Here” (covering release date and format)
Official Oni Press announcement of First Freedom (publisher details and creators)