By Gary Abernathy, Photo: Kati Burwinkel, The Washington Post, February 22, 2022
Let’s start with a tragedy: Since the 2020 election, 37 states have introduced legislation designed to limit how Black history can be taught, especially in its relation to institutional racism, and 14 states have successfully imposed such laws, according to Education Week.
Efforts requiring schools to play down examples of historic racism if anyone is made to feel “discomfort” or “guilt” are confounding to me coming from Republicans, who rightfully complain about de-platforming voices on social media and cancel culture run amok. Fortunately, more of America’s Black history is clawing its way out of undeserved obscurity anyway, particularly through new books — some from big publishing houses written by celebrated authors, and others on a smaller scale in unlikely places such as my former home of Highland County, Ohio, in the heart of Trump Country.
In that haven of conservative White rural America, a new book, “Black History of Highland County,” brings to light important events long suppressed. Published by the county historical society, the book is the product of local authors Kati Burwinkel, Myra Cumberland Phillips and John Glaze — a White woman, a Black woman and a White man, respectively — all determined to reveal and preserve a neglected past.
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