Is Black History at Risk of Being Erased?
Black communities are reclaiming power by embracing holidays not originally meant for them, honoring those affected and redefining cultural identity.
By Kailin Dean
The cultural manipulation and brainwashing, which stems from slavery and white power, within the Black community is undeniable. It can be shown throughout our fashion, music, behaviors and arguably everything we do.
The oppression shaping today's perspectives can be seen throughout history. Examples include the Tignon laws in 1780s Louisiana that mandated Black women cover their hair and musical concepts that Black artists pioneered, but have ultimately been appropriated and miscredited to those who are now deemed “the best of their time.” It can even be displayed in humor with the resurgence of minstrelsy through AI generation, as noted by Jason Parham, a senior writer at Wired, who writes, “TikTok has an obvious lust for appropriation.” But why do we cling to the concepts that were meant to control and brainwash us into submission?
Every Thanksgiving, my home street, Livernois, comes alive with families joining together to celebrate. These celebrations have become an essential part of Black culture. Still, just 248 years ago, our enslaved ancestors didn’t have the luxury to be able to commemorate alongside their enslavers. Fourth of July, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas alike weren’t designed with Black people in mind; yet, for most families, these are core moments and memories, embracing traditions passed along through generations that coincide with these festivities.
Some may ask: Why do targeted communities identify with cultures that some say blatantly exclude them? Why do Black communities celebrate holidays that were not created with them in mind? Is it to reclaim the power that has been stripped from them for hundreds of years, or are they still susceptible to the cultural erasure that causes them to cling to anything that’ll make them feel less othered?
Detroit high school students in front of a Black Lives Matter sign in Detroit on July 22, 2025. Photo by Ella Miller
The Spanish philosopher George Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." This quote embodies the fact that this cultural crisis could lead to the erasure of Black history forever. The loss of Black history and identity, in addition to the glamorization of Black struggles, wouldn’t only affect those people. It could change the way all American history is told, remembered and stereotyped. Even when an issue doesn’t directly impact a community, all Americans could still be under attack, threatening their identities, individualities and cultural pride.
Jovon Ellis, a pro-Black 34-year-old Detroiter and educator at Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, notes the impact of erasure can be seen in real time.
“I just think that the people who have conquered the world … decide to celebrate their culture and their heritage and the things that they accomplish more than the people that they oppress,” Ellis says.
Despite that, he believes in finding your meaning behind the reason you celebrate certain holidays. “I think to give back to those who were trampled over for (various) holidays, you embrace their culture, talk about their culture and acknowledge what happened to them,” he says.
The way to move forward is not to blindly follow celebrations and experiences, but to actively acknowledge how celebrations came about and reclaim personal identity, honoring those who were originally affected by these holidays.
“It's an opportunity for us to understand other people's history and embrace it as well, and I think those are commonalities that can bring us together,” he says.
Although it may seem like Black heritage may be the only group targeted, that’s far from the truth. For instance, the potential elimination of the Department of Education threatens the loss of the proper remembrance of American history and the potential manipulation or omission of information. What’s more, a National Education Association article states, “Dismantling it means defunding programs that feed, educate and protect our most vulnerable and underserved students, and leaving many families fearful and anxious and communities reeling.”
It’s essential to remember that when one group is targeted, regardless of its size, the issue may eventually trickle down into your community. But how can we stop these cycles of oppression for people who exist outside of our communities before it's too late?
One way is to learn how to recognize when you’re being told a certain narrative or misinformation, which can help you shift your perception of a targeted group. Whether you’re reading an article on Fox or The New York Times, writers will paint their stories in a certain way, intentionally or not.
It’s also essential to acknowledge your own biases against targeted groups and remember not to generalize about every person within a demographic based solely on media consumption, limited interactions or echo chambers. Small differences in your perception of targeted individuals can have a significant impact, driving advocacy, justice and rights for those who have been targeted before you.
Southfield resident Cailei Thornton, 18, believes being prideful actively combats cultural assimilation and effectively takes back individuality. Thornton believes most holidays are guises that use the expectations of lavish presents to conceal capitalistic schemes that make people live up to standards and keep up the endless chase of the American Dream.
Carol Thornton's home decor in Southfield on July 31, 2025. Photo by Cailei Thornton
“Once we free ourselves from all the other capitalistic mindsets, it'd be a lot easier for Black people to not just fit a certain socially acceptable archetype, and we will be able to express who we are as people rather than just a label,” Thornton says.
Cailei’s grandmother, Carol Thornton, a 71-year-old DTE Energy retiree whose home is embellished in Black cultural decor, says more people should put the work into their knowledge instead of living in the bliss of ignorance.
“If you say voting doesn't matter, then I say to you, ‘OK, what do you do?’ If you don't do anything, it just seems like it's laziness, and it's an excuse for you not to do anything, because you're not interested,” she says.
She expresses that people take advantage of their privileges and don’t truly realize the meaning of what they were born with in comparison to the people who had to fight and advocate for the change they see today. We're not willing to sacrifice a small amount of convenience to make a difference.
Ultimately, cultural assimilation isn’t a topic that can be summed up in a 1,200-word piece. Nuanced and varying experiences shape the way we perceive life, make decisions and live.
Yet people must take action to learn about their history and stand up to those who oppress certain groups or cultures. It’s also essential to take a step back and analyze how the media you consume makes you feel.
“Question everything and talk to people, and also empathize,” Cailei Thornton says. “With more awareness comes more empathy. To know something is to appreciate it.”
This piece is part of the Detroit Journalism Summer Camp, run by The Detroit Writing Room in partnership with Planet Detroit and Coaching Detroit Forward.
