Why We Can't Look Away: The Alarming Backlash Against Black History and DEI

It’s tempting to believe that progress always moves forward—that every year, the nation becomes a little more open, a little more just. But lately, if you’ve been paying attention, you know that’s not how it works. In fact, right now, we’re watching a coordinated attack on the very stories that give meaning to Black History Month, Juneteenth, and so much more.

Some of this has played out quietly; budget cuts that gut DEI offices, new laws that make it harder to talk about race in classrooms, library shelves quietly emptied of books by Black authors. Other times it’s loud and unmistakable: politicians denouncing “woke” history, school boards banning lessons on slavery or redlining, companies dropping their DEI commitments under pressure. And most recently, the Supreme Court’s attack on Voting Rights.

It’s easy, dangerously easy, to see all this as a phase.  We tell ourselves the pendulum will swing back. We hope it’s just noise. But the truth is, this pushback is already having real consequences. Students are missing out on a full education. Employees are told to “bring their whole selves to work” while DEI teams are dissolved behind the scenes. Most importantly, it sends a signal: Black history, Black voices, and the progress of racial justice don’t matter. Or worse, that they’re something to fear.

Why does this matter? Because our stories shape who we are, and who we can become. When we erase the hard parts of history; when we downplay the harm of slavery, Jim Crow, or housing discrimination, we don’t just lose facts. We lose our ability to see injustice clearly. We make it easier for old patterns to repeat.

Black history isn’t a threat. It’s a vital part of the American story. DEI isn’t about guilt or division; it’s about building workplaces, schools, and communities where everyone has a shot. We can’t afford to let fear and politics erase that work.

So what do we do? We speak up. We support teachers, librarians, and activists who are fighting to keep Black history alive. We push companies and institutions to honor their commitments, even when it’s uncomfortable. And we remember that progress isn’t inevitable, it’s something we must protect, every day.