Black History Month is uniquely framed as “History”, while other communities are recognized through “Heritage” or “Pride”. Language is not neutral and semantics can make all the difference in perception. This is not a call to tear anyone else down. It is a call to expand Black recognition. Our existence is so foundational to America that the only way to diminish our influence is to confine us to the past. The Black experience is not an archival chapter in the American story. Our influence is embedded in language, music, fashion, politics, and global culture. We are a perpetual and evolving lineage. We are present, diasporic, and forward-facing. Recognizing Black Heritage Month would acknowledge that Black identity is not merely historical. It is inherited, lived, and continuously becoming. Heritage affirms continuity. Heritage affirms ownership– both of which have been denied to the Black community for centuries. Heritage affirms that we are not something that happened, but something that prevails. If language is power, then this shift is monumental. Black people deserve recognition not only for what we survived, but for what we sustain. We call for the official recognition of Black Heritage Month.