BLACK HISTORY MONTH: THOUGHTS ON A NEW ERA

Black History Month is here, in the wake of momentous changes in the U.S.—and doubtless on the cusp of many more.

The Black Lives Matter Movement roiled the country and roused activists worldwide in response to the deaths of Black citizens at the hands of police. It was also a massive factor in the 2020 elections, which ended the Trump era and saw historic changes in states like Georgia. Black political engagement played an outsize role in these victories. Stacey Abrams became a cultural hero for her brilliant strategic and mobilization efforts, which not only brought previously unimaginable success for Democrats but showed that voter-suppression efforts by the defenders of systemic racism could be overcome.

It's become a truism that Black people saved America in 2020. But voter suppression abides, and police violence has not abated. Many struggles lie ahead. As we enter Black History Month 2021, we'll endeavor to put this narrative into context and explore how music and the wider culture are connected to it. Stay tuned.