Historical & Current Events dictionary Black Futures Month [ blak fyoo-cherz muhnth ] Published February 23, 2022 What is Black Futures Month? Black Futures Month is a monthlong observance devoted to celebrating, envisioning, and working toward positive futures for Black people. Most of those who observe Black Futures Month treat it as a forward-looking complement to Black History Month, which is much more widely observed. Others promote Black Futures Month as a rebranding or replacement of Black History Month (in some cases due to a belief that Black History Month is too focused on negative events of the past). Critics of treating the month in this way often state that doing so can have the effect of ignoring or erasing both negative and positive events in Black history. Observance of Black Futures Month involves events that focus on positive contributions and influence of Black people in the present world and on efforts and visions for a more just and equitable society for Black people. Black Futures Month especially emphasizes artistic expressions and is often associated with Afrofuturism. š When is Black Futures Month?Black Futures Month is observed during February, the month traditionally observed as Black History Month. Related words Black joy, Black History Month, Black excellence Where does Black Futures Month come from? The earliest records of the term Black Futures Month come from the early 2010s. Around 2015, Black Futures Month began to be promoted by organizations like the Movement 4 Black Lives, which has referred to the month as āa visionary, forward-looking spin on celebrations of Blackness in February.ā Observance of the month during February is rooted in the fact that February is Black History Month. The use of the plural Futures in the name of Black Futures Month is often interpreted as indicating the diversity of the Black experience and the many different opportunities and possibilities for Black peopleāas opposed to a single, monolithic vision for the future. Examples of Black Futures Month Let us remember this is not only Black History Month; itās also Black Futures Month. We are observing & celebrating our past, present, & future. Let us be grounded in the fact, not an opinion or a possibility, that our magic will always bring us forward into the future. #BHM @venusselenite, February 2, 2022 While we continue to gratefully recognize and learn from their contributions, increasingly, February has also become about looking forward. Alongside Black History Month, more and more people and organizations are spending these 28 days celebrating Black Futures Month. MichĆØle Pearson Clarke, The Toronto Star, February 21, 2021 Who uses Black Futures Month? Black Futures Month is typically observed as a forward-looking complement to Black History Month, which is much more widely observed. Welcome to #BlackFuturesMonth, a visionary celebration of Blackness. All month, we invite you to celebrate, dream and build. Stay tuned for the premiere of our afrofuturist film, Black Futures: An Ode to Freedom Summer – the official M4BL launch of Black Futures Month 2021. pic.twitter.com/TQozWzMSzI — Movement 4 Black Lives (@Mvmnt4BlkLives) February 1, 2021 #BlackLivesMatter: Wishing everyone a happy BLACK FUTURES MONTH! — COMMON (@common) February 12, 2021 Patrisse Cullors Defines āBlack Futures Monthā and Explains Why Abolitionist Storytelling Is OurĀ Future https://t.co/BL66vPHsQb — Variety (@Variety) February 13, 2022 I don't like rebranding Black History Month as Black Futures Month when we have Black freedom fighters from the past still incarcerated. You can't shun them and their work. Why run from our revolutionaries and martyrs? — Charles Preston (@_CharlesPreston) February 12, 2022 Just Added quiet firing, quiet hiring, rizz, soft life, clean girl aesthetic Note This is not meant to be a formal definition of Black Futures Month like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of Black Futures Month that will help our users expand their word mastery.