Black History Is American History
- Cameil D. Coleman
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
That is the Truth
Black history is not optional. It is not a footnote. It is not something to be softened, reshaped, or erased to make others more comfortable.
Black history is American history, and distortion does not change truth—it only exposes resistance to it.
From forced labor to intellectual leadership, from cultural innovation to moral courage, Black Americans have shaped this nation at every stage. Attempts to minimize that reality do not make it untrue. They reveal an unwillingness to confront it honestly.
One of my favorite quotes captures the essence of this moment:
“It is better to be than to seem.” Unknown
This quote is a call to authenticity and integrity. It challenges us to move beyond appearances, performative statements, and selective history—and instead live in alignment with what we claim to value.
Authenticity Requires Courage
Authenticity is not comfortable. Integrity is not passive.
It takes courage to:
Love in a world invested in division
Give when fear encourages scarcity
Stand tall when systems are designed to diminish you
Speak truth when silence is rewarded
Black history is filled with individuals who chose being over seeming—people who lived their values even when everything was stacked against them. Their courage was not symbolic; it was lived, daily, and often at great personal cost.
Integrity Is Action, Not Optics
We live in an era where values are often stated but rarely practiced. Where inclusion is marketed but not embedded. Where history is acknowledged in soundbites but avoided in substance.
Integrity means aligning words with action .It means honoring history not just with celebrations, but with education, policy, access, and opportunity. It means accepting discomfort without retreating from truth.
You cannot claim unity while denying reality. You cannot lead with integrity while avoiding honesty.
A Free Action Step Everyone Can Take — Starting Within
There is something every single person can do, free of charge, that has the power to change communities, workplaces, and lives—starting today.
Ask yourself, honestly and without defensiveness:
What causes me to dislike someone I don’t even know?
Or worse, an entire group of people I’ve never met?
Where did that belief come from?
Is this truly about them—or is this a “me” problem?
Then have the courage to sit with the answer.
Growth begins when we come face to face with our own assumptions, fears, and inherited narratives. That moment of self-examination—though uncomfortable—is where real change begins.
You cannot heal what you refuse to examine. You cannot grow without accountability. And you cannot claim integrity without self-reflection.
Overcoming Despite the Odds
The Black American experience is also a testament to resilience—overcoming even when all things are stacked against you. Not because struggle was noble, but because survival, excellence, and joy became acts of resistance.
This history deserves to be taught fully, truthfully, and unapologetically—not just for Black Americans, but for anyone who believes America should live up to its stated ideals.
A Call to Be, Not Just Seem
Black history belongs—always has, always will.
The real question is whether we, individually and collectively, have the courage to:
Be honest
Be authentic
Be accountable
And ultimately, be better
Because it truly is better to be than to seem.
Black History Month is not about separation—it is about completion. It is a reminder that the American story is incomplete without truth, and truth requires courage.
Honor Black history not just with words, but with action. Not just with recognition, but with reflection. Not just by seeming—but by being.
At Key Players Consultancy, we believe authenticity, integrity, and community engagement are not optional—they are essential. Our work centers on honest dialogue, equitable systems, and accountability in public programs, workforce development, and stakeholder engagement.
Because progress requires more than appearing committed—it requires actually being committed.
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