Dear Dean Magazine: February 2024

BLACK
HISTORY –
“US”
F E A T U R E D A R T I C L E
Myron J. Clifton
There are wonderful social media stories about Black
History Month and the historic people who make up the
Black American diaspora experience. Famous, infamous,
women, men, lgbqti, children, churches, politicians, and
business folk.
There's wonder, horror, celebration, and much love.
And there's Us.
Us are people who see each other when the larger society
ignores us.
Us are Black boys and men whose joy we celebrate - Black
Boy Joy - I'm 59 and hold my Black Boy Joy close because it
was and is a gift.
Us brings the nation and world joy, laugher, tears, energy,
and life...
Who are "Us?"
Us
Us are the regular everyday Black people who help make
this nation survive and thrive. Workers, students, leaders,
business owners, and business customers.
Us are consumers, creators, thinkers, scientists, teachers,
supervisors, fast food, and retail workers.
Us are also mixed with Taino, Euro, Indigenous, Asian,
Hispanic, and Latino, and indigenous folk from every
Caribbean island, and of course from all nations from our
Motherland.
We see you and we see… Us.
Us
Us works in factories, restaurants, customer service,
malls, strip malls, and small businesses that populate our
communities. Salons, barbershops, wig & cosmetics,
clothing, kids, and 2nd-hand stores and smoke shops.
Mechanic, auto parts, clinics, nurses, preachers, and
pastors.
Us
When we celebrate Black History, we are celebrating all of
Us.
from the cities, the hoods, the rural and suburban, to the
streets, hospitals, and prisons
And those that went to glory before Us.
Happy Black History Month, Black man head nod, and
endearing greeting, Fam to you - Us.
Dear Dean Magazine | Feb. 22, 2024 | Page 15