All About Laughs
Black History Month is already the shortest month of the year, but leave it to a gubernatorial candidate from Michigan and it might not exist at all.
Black History Month is an annual celebration, highlighting the achievements of African Americans throughout American history and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S.
The month was initially only a week and started as “Negro History Week” and was founded by Carter G. Woodson and other figures in the black community in 1915, half a century after slavery was abolished. It began with them creating the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). That organization eventually held the first Negro History Week in 1926. They choose the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
Since 1976, every United States president has designated the month of February as Black History Month, with other countries like Canada and the U.K also devoting a month to it once a year.
Austin Chenge, an Army veteran from Michigan is running a gubernatorial GOP candidate in his state. In order to gain attention on his campaign, Chenge decided to promise voters that he would “cancel black history month.” He tweeted, “I will cancel #BlackHistoryMonth in #Michigan. It’s offensive, unfair, maybe illegal… Americans from all backgrounds deserve a revered history. I’ll declare American History Month.”
Chenge is the first Republic candidate to run for this office, where the seat is currently held by Democrat Gretchen Whitmer. Chenge has aligned himself with extreme conservative values, and has gone on record to defend former President Trump and the Riots by the MAGA mob at the Capitol Building on Jan 6.
Obviously aware of the blowback he would receive, Chenge followed up his initial tweet with a very Trump-ese threat to those who may not be a fan of his plans. “Thank you for your prayers. My family and I are safe. We have very good people who are heavily armed and on standby, but above all we have God.”
Thank you for your prayers. My family and I are safe. We have very good people who are heavily armed and on standby, but above all we have God. Austin Chenge, #Veteran and First #Republican #Governor #Candidate for #Michigan. Visit https://t.co/WSCP2ITiwa for more. pic.twitter.com/tldceMyski
— Austin Chenge (@AustinChenge) February 12, 2021