Scrubbing Black History: When a Celebration Becomes a Target
From the series First They Came for the Calendar
Return to “First They Came for the Calendar” series hub
February is Black History Month. This year, it became a deletion schedule.
February should have been a month of honor, education, and remembrance.
A time to recognize the power and resilience of Black Americans.
To tell the truth about our shared history.
To speak the names of those who built this country while it tried to erase them.
But in 2025, the Trump administration didn’t honor Black History Month.
They used it.
Used it as a smokescreen.
Used it as a timing mechanism.
Used it to delete what they could while they hoped people were too busy "celebrating" to notice what was being taken.
What Happened in February 2025
Books by Black authors were ordered removed from military libraries.
The U.S. military, under the Pentagon’s direction, began pulling works that referenced race, gender, or diversity.
Titles removed included those by Maya Angelou, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ibram X. Kendi, and even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself.
This followed an order to remove content viewed as aligned with “DEI and gender ideology.”
Source: Reuters →
The Defense Intelligence Agency canceled its Black History Month events.
Just two weeks after MLK Day celebrations were paused, the DIA issued internal communications halting Black History Month observances.
No official recognition, no storytelling, no internal programming.
The message: “This history doesn’t matter anymore.”
Source: Federal News Network →
The Department of Education threatened school funding over DEI.
In early February, schools and universities were given a clear ultimatum:
Eliminate DEI initiatives or risk losing federal funding.This included equity-focused professional development, diverse curriculum materials, and community engagement initiatives.
Some districts quietly complied—others panicked.
Source: Associated Press →
EO 14151 enforcement accelerated.
Behind all of this was Executive Order 14151, signed in January and taking full operational effect in February.
Agencies were now executing their RIF plans, removing staff, and fully deleting references to diversity, equity, and inclusion from websites and internal documents.
This wasn’t just a political move.
It was a cultural one.
A strategic erasure of access, acknowledgement, and admiration—right when those things were supposed to be most visible.
What the THX Frameworks Reveal
12 Utilities Lost
The 12 Utilities measure whether an experience is useful, functional, and fair. In February, we lost:
Access – to historical knowledge, voices, and truths
Clarity – about who we are and what’s being removed
Value – especially symbolic and emotional value in honoring Black leaders and legacies
PERMAH Disrupted
PERMAH reflects what it means to flourish:
Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement, Health
In February:
Meaning was stripped as curated truth was replaced by curated silence
Relationships across agencies and classrooms were strained under fear of retaliation
Health & Wellbeing, especially for Black service members, educators, and students, was damaged by the denial of recognition
Admiration Equation Undone
In a healthy culture, Black History Month fosters awe, gratitude, and respect—especially toward those who led and resisted with courage.
But admiration requires visibility.
It requires honoring, not hiding.
This month became a cancellation.
The very stories meant to inspire were ordered shelved.
The micro-moments of pride that spark admiration?
Dismantled.
Prospect Theory in Action
This was no passive loss.
This was active subtraction—timed to wound.
The emotional cost of taking something away during the month meant to affirm it is far more damaging than denying it altogether.
It sends a message louder than any speech:
“You are not to be seen.”
Call It What It Is
This wasn’t a bureaucratic reshuffle.
This was erasure in broad daylight, dressed in federal memoranda and library instructions.
The cruelty was not incidental.
The timing was not neutral.
The pain was predictable.
🔜 Next: March – Silencing Women and Civil Rights
Because the calendar didn’t just keep moving forward.
It kept being used.
