Black History Month is more than a remembrance of the past.
For Black women, it is a mirror, a reckoning, and a reclamation.
It is a sacred pause to honor the shoulders we stand on — and a call to recognize that we are standing on our own shoulders right now.
Yet many of us struggle with celebration. We’ve been taught to downplay our wins, soften our brilliance, and move quietly through rooms we’ve helped build. We’ve learned to carry excellence with humility so heavy it borders on invisibility.
And somewhere along the way, we internalized a dangerous idea:
That celebrating ourselves is bragging.
It’s time to unlearn that.
Why Black History Month Matters for Black Women
Black History Month is often framed as a lesson in survival — resilience through struggle, strength through oppression. While that truth matters, it is incomplete.
Black women have not only survived history.
We have shaped it.
We have led movements, educated generations, built institutions, created culture, and held communities together — often without recognition, credit, or rest.
When Black women celebrate Black History Month, we are not indulging in nostalgia.
We are affirming our lineage of leadership, creativity, and intellectual power.
We are saying:
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Our stories are not footnotes.
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Our contributions are not accidental.
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Our presence is not optional.
Celebration is acknowledgment — and acknowledgment is power.
The Lie We Were Told: “Celebrating Yourself Is Bragging”
From an early age, many Black women are taught to be “humble,” “grateful,” and “quietly accomplished.” We’re praised for being capable — but cautioned against being confident.
This messaging didn’t appear out of nowhere.
Historically, Black women who named their brilliance were labeled:
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Arrogant
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Aggressive
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Too much
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Unlikable
So we adapted. We learned to:
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Minimize our wins
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Let others speak for us
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Wait to be recognized instead of claiming space
But here’s the truth that deserves to be spoken plainly:
Self-celebration is not arrogance. It is self-respect.
When we silence our accomplishments, we don’t become humble — we become invisible. And invisibility has never protected us.
Why Celebrating Ourselves Is Necessary, Not Optional
Celebration does something powerful for Black women:
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It disrupts erasure.
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It models confidence for the next generation.
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It reframes worth beyond struggle.
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It honors joy as much as endurance.
When we celebrate ourselves, we expand what Black womanhood looks like — not just strong but fulfilled; not just resilient, but recognized.
We deserve to be seen in our fullness, not only in our suffering.
Why We Must Lift Ourselves — and Each Other — Up
Celebration is not a solo act. It’s communal.
When Black women uplift one another, we:
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Normalize success
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Share opportunity
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Build collective confidence
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Rewrite narratives about competition and scarcity
Listing ourselves and each other — publicly, unapologetically — is an act of resistance in a world that profits from our silence.
When you name your accomplishments, you give another woman permission to do the same.
When you celebrate another Black woman, you remind her that she is not alone.
This is how legacy is built — not just through history books, but through intentional visibility.
Black History Is Happening Right Now
We are not just honoring ancestors.
We are ancestors-in-the-making.
Black History Month is an invitation to recognize:
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the businesses we are building
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the boundaries we are holding
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the leadership we are embodying
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the care we are learning to give ourselves
You don’t need permission to celebrate yourself.
You don’t need to wait until the work is finished.
You don’t need to shrink your light to make others comfortable.
You are history — living, breathing, evolving.
The Empress Way Forward
At Empress Laine, we believe in soft power — the kind that doesn’t shout, but stands firm. The kind that celebrates without apology and honors self without guilt.
This Black History Month, let us:
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Speak our names
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Honor our journeys
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Celebrate our wins — big and small
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Lift one another without hesitation
Because celebrating ourselves is not poor taste. It is a declaration. And Black women deserve to be declared — fully, loudly, and with love.