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Black History Month Isn't Enough

By George Khoury, Esq. on February 28, 2019 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

As Black History Month ends again, we're reminded that a month simply isn't enough and that important black individuals should be studied year-round alongside other American historical figures.

Notably, the concept of Black History Month started back in the 1920s, but was only for a week. It wasn't until the 1970s that it became a month-long event. It started at Kent State University in 1970, and quickly took off at educational institutions across the country.

So Much to Celebrate

As the countless articles that pop up every year show, from some of the most groundbreaking black lawyers, to the most notable black women lawyers on TV, there's no shortage of black history to go around for the entire legal community to celebrate and enjoy.

Often, the celebrations that surround Black History Month are excellent opportunities for law students and attorneys to network and learn many of the stories that don't get included in the standard education curriculum. Courts, law schools, and many other organizations often host events that can be very informative about how historical events shape our modern world.

A Time to Give

In addition to celebrating black history by learning about it, Black History Month can often serve as a reminder to lawyers and law students that giving back to the community, either through volunteering, donating to legal non-profit organizations, or otherwise, is important (and might just be how you leave your legal legacy).

Learning about the stories of prominent black American lawyers and their contributions is just inspirational for everyone. And for law students of all races, it could be life changing, as career paths in the civil rights arena can be difficult to navigate and impossibly inaccessible. Though the legal job market has changed significantly in last few decades, the paths that the legal history makers took can be rather instructive for the lawyers of today.

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