Beyond Politics: Celebrating Black Excellence and Innovation
When a major network invited me to discuss Black History Month through the lens of presidential politics, I declined. Not because the platform wasn’t valuable, but because our story deserves more than being defined by opposition. The persistent focus on what others haven’t done for Black Americans obscures a more powerful truth: the extraordinary achievements Black Americans have accomplished for themselves — and for all Americans — despite systemic obstacles.
Consider Fannie Lou Hamer, who transformed from a sharecropper to a pivotal civil rights leader. While history often reduces her to her powerful testimony at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, her vision extended far beyond political representation. She established the Freedom Farm Cooperative in 1969, creating an agricultural model that promoted Black land ownership and food security, principles that remain relevant in today’s conversations about food justice and economic empowerment.
Ella Baker, the “mother of the civil rights movement,” understood that true power flows from the bottom up, not the top down. Her organizing philosophy — “Strong people don’t need strong leaders” — shaped SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and influenced generations of grassroots activists. Today’s community organizers still draw from her methodologies of empowering local communities to lead their own struggles.
Ida B. Wells-Barnett exemplified courage in journalism long before the term “speaking truth to power” became popular. Her investigative reporting on lynching not only documented horrific injustices but established a template for how meticulous research and fearless reporting can drive social change. Modern investigative journalists owe a debt to her pioneering methods.
The Black Panthers’ creation of the Free Breakfast Program, which later inspired the national school breakfast program, demonstrates how Black innovation often emerges from necessity. When they saw hungry children struggling to learn, they didn’t wait for government action — they created solutions that would eventually benefit millions of American children of all backgrounds.
While W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, and Frederick Douglass rightfully hold their places in history, we must equally celebrate lesser-acknowledged women like Mary McLeod Bethune, who built a school for Black girls with $1.50 and turned it into a college. Or Dorothy Height, whose leadership in the National Council of Negro Women shaped civil rights policy while mentoring countless future leaders.
Black excellence isn’t merely about surviving adversity — it’s about transforming limitations into innovations that advance all of society. When Charlotte E. Ray became the first Black woman lawyer in America in 1872, she didn’t just break a barrier; she established a precedent that expanded America’s understanding of who could serve justice.
As we discuss Black history, we must shift from a narrative of reaction to one of creation and innovation. The story isn’t about what others haven’t done for us — it’s about what we have done for ourselves and for America, often in spite of systemic obstacles. From Madam C.J. Walker’s business empire to Dr. Patricia Bath’s revolutionary cataract treatment, Black innovation has consistently pushed America forward.
This isn’t about ignoring challenges or dismissing the need for political accountability. Rather, it’s about refusing to let our story be told primarily through the lens of opposition or dependency. Our history is one of agency, creativity, and transformation. We don’t need to center those who would deny our humanity to prove our worth.
The next time someone asks me to discuss Black history, I want to talk about how Septima Clark’s citizenship schools created a model for adult education that transformed political participation. I want to explore how Marsha P. Johnson’s advocacy expanded our understanding of civil rights and human dignity. These stories don’t need a foil to demonstrate their significance.
Black history isn’t a reaction to white supremacy — it’s a testament to human possibility. That’s the story I choose to tell, not just during Black History Month, but every time I’m given a platform to speak about our legacy of excellence.
Tony Clark is a Professor, Activist, Principal of The T.Clark Group, and Co-President of The MBK Task Force.
