By Jocelyn Walker, Vice President of Communications at the African American Policy Forum, a Unite Against Book Pans partner
New Efforts to Suppress Diverse Voices and Histories
Since 2021, we’ve seen skyrocketing attempts to censor reading materials in schools and libraries— especially books that represent the voices and lived experiences of Black people, people of color, and LGBTQ people. Sadly, it comes as no surprise that during the past two weeks, strong-arm attempts to censor and erase these perspectives, identities, and histories have reached a fever pitch, taking a central position on the national stage.
Last week, you may have seen reports that federal agencies are eradicating Black History Month and other related observances. Executive orders that purportedly intend to eradicate “discriminatory equity ideology” are in fact censorship attempts designed to prohibit the teaching of comprehensive American history in K-12 schools.
Create Space and Recenter for the war against censorship
As this war against censorship continues unfolding, please follow and share the African American Policy Forum’s (AAPF) 2025 Liberation Calendar, which was created in partnership with Liberation Table.
The 2025 Liberation Calendar is intended to create space in each day away from the shock and chaos. It offers a way to recenter and build capacity to engage on these issues, first with an inner circle of friends and family, then with the local community, and after that, beyond.
a Black History Month Toolkit worth sharing
The 2025 Liberation Calendar can be your intentional, daily Black History Month practice. Think of it as a Black History Month toolbox, offering a month’s worth of resources, practices, and refuge for Black people. It equips us and our allies with multiple ways to bridge the gap between the personal and the collective, amplifying our voices locally to show that we will not be silenced in this political moment.
Join the Liberation Calendar Community
By joining the Liberation Calendar community, you’ll receive a daily email with suggested practices, opportunities for reflection, and calls to action. The practices will engage with the theme of the day: Restoring, Grounding, Mourning, Resisting, Rejoicing, Imagining, or Connecting. They will also highlight the on-going fight for Black history, Black-authored books, and Black knowledge as we defend the freedom to read and learn — and our powerful civil rights legacy. Sign up here, follow along on Instagram, and share the Calendar with your networks.
During this year’s Black History Month, we will continue to celebrate Black Americans’ achievements and our central role in U.S. history. For more resources to support your 2025 observances, visit AAPF’s website.
