With the conclusion of Black History Month, it is vital to continue conversations surrounding Black issues and Black history outside of February.

“Black history does not just occur during Black History Month, it’s something that occurs throughout the year,” Alabama NAACP President Benard Simelton said. “Because of the way our schools are attempting to remove the history of the civil rights movement, history of slavery from our schools. It’s important that our students, our children, learn the history not only of the country, but of their people.”

While representation in government and industry offices has increased since the Civil Rights Movement, there is still room for improvement.

“Even though we have elected a Black president, there’s still a lot of other areas where we are underrepresented in the higher senior management and executive management levels of industry.”

Benard says that representation is important, but remembering Black history starts much earlier in life than entering the industry.

“It’s just important to educate our young folks, as well as the old folks about what America has gone through, and what it continues to go through, as it relates to people of color, because we are still not represented in a lot of areas in the nation,” Simelton said.

Simelton believes churches, the NAACP, and parents will pick up the mantle of educating students on history.

“I think through all those elements, you know, we will still be able to learn the history. It just won’t be taught in schools, which is a travesty,” Simelton said.

The NAACP is actively working to see that “those types of books do remain on the shelves in the libraries and schools” by partnering with the American Federation of Teachers.

The Federation keeps a database of books that have been removed from schools across the country and distributes them to churches and other organizations “that are involved in making sure that the history of Black America is not left out.”