FROM THE FOUNDER’S DESK

February 1, 2026 marked something extraordinary: 100 years of Black History Month.

One. Hundred. Years.

In 1926, historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson established “Negro History Week” because he knew what they were trying to do—erase us from the story of America.

He said: “If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.”

They tried to exterminate our history. We refused to let them.

100 years later, we’re still here. Still fighting. Still telling the truth they don’t want taught in schools.

And this month, as we celebrate a century of Black History Month, I’m doing something different with The Melanin Memo. We’re not just looking back—we’re connecting every piece of our history to the fights happening right now.

Because Black history isn’t past tense. It’s present. It’s ongoing. It’s us.

This edition covers: 🖤 100 years of Black History Month - how it started and why it still matters 🏈 Super Bowl LIX preview - Patriots vs. Seahawks through a Black excellence lens Economic justice - from Dr. King’s Poor People’s Campaign to today’s wealth gap Culture - the art, music, and creativity that keeps us alive. Knowledge - the inventors, scientists, and thinkers they erased from textbooks 💪🏾 Hustle - Black entrepreneurship and economic power Heart - community care and mental health (because we’re still healing from last month)

This is MB at our fullest. Every pillar. Every segment. Every truth.

And it’s a reminder: We are not a brand, but a blueprint.

The blueprint is 100 years old. And we’re still building.

Let’s get into it.

With love, pride, and unshakeable purpose,
Amber McClendon
Founder & CEO, Melanin Bliss LLC

🖤 100 YEARS OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH: HOW WE GOT HERE

1926: Dr. Carter G. Woodson Said “Enough”

In 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson—historian, author, journalist, and the son of formerly enslaved parents—established Negro History Week during the second week of February.

Why February? Because it included the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (Feb 12) and Frederick Douglass (Feb 14).

But more importantly—because our history was being systematically erased.

Dr. Woodson had earned a PhD from Harvard (the second Black American to do so). He’d studied history deeply. And he saw what was happening in American schools:

Black people were either completely absent from textbooks, or we were portrayed as slaves and nothing more.

Our inventors? Ignored. Our warriors? Forgotten. Our thinkers? Erased.Our contributions? Stolen or attributed to white people.

So Dr. Woodson said: If they won’t teach our history, we will.

He founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (now ASALH) in 1915. He launched The Journal of Negro History. He wrote books. He created curriculum.

And in 1926, he launched Negro History Week.

His goal? To ensure that Black history was researched, preserved, and celebrated—not as a footnote, but as central to the American story.

1976: Negro History Week Becomes Black History Month

For 50 years, Negro History Week was celebrated in Black communities, churches, and schools. But it wasn’t officially recognized by the U.S. government.

That changed in 1976—the nation’s bicentennial.

President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, urging Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Was it perfect? No. Was it enough? Absolutely not. But it was official recognition that we couldn’t be ignored anymore.

Since then, every U.S. president has officially designated February as Black History Month.

Even Trump. (Though he does it with all the enthusiasm of a hostage reading a ransom note.)

2026: 100 Years Later—Why It Still Matters

Here’s what some people say every February:

“Why do we need Black History Month? Why not just ‘American History’?”

Because, Karen, when we tried to make it just “American History,” you erased us.

You taught that enslaved people were “workers.” You taught that the Civil War was about “states’ rights.” You taught that MLK had a dream and then racism ended. You banned our books. You attacked critical race theory (which you can’t even define). You made it illegal in some states to teach that racism still exists.

That’s why we need Black History Month.

Not because we’re separating ourselves from American history. Because American history tried to separate itself from us.

The 2026 Black History Month Theme

Each year, ASALH (the organization Dr. Woodson founded) selects a theme for Black History Month.

The 2026 theme is: “African Americans and the Arts.”

This theme celebrates:

  • The Harlem Renaissance writers (Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay)

  • Jazz legends (Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane)

  • Visual artists (Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley)

  • Dancers and choreographers (Alvin Ailey, Misty Copeland, Judith Jamison)

  • Filmmakers (Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler)

  • Hip-hop pioneers (Grandmaster Flash, Run-DMC, Tupac, Nas, Kendrick Lamar)

  • Modern musicians (Beyoncé, Kendrick, SZA, Burna Boy, Tems)

Because our art isn’t just entertainment. It’s resistance. It’s documentation. It’s survival.

When they enslaved us, we sang spirituals with coded messages for escape. When they segregated us, we created jazz and blues that told our truth. When they tried to silence us, we created hip-hop and spoke anyway. When they killed us, we painted murals and made films so the world couldn’t look away.

Our art is protest. Our art is power. Our art is proof we were here.

ources:

  • Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), asalh.org

  • Library of Congress, “Black History Month”

  • The Mis-Education of the Negro by Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1933)

  • National Archives, Presidential Proclamations

CORRECTED SUPER BOWL SECTION

🏈 SUPER BOWL LIX: PATRIOTS vs. SEAHAWKS - BLACK EXCELLENCE ON THE FIELD

Super Bowl Sunday, February 9, 2026 - Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Next Sunday, the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LIX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California (just outside San Francisco in the heart of the Bay Area).

And while the world watches for touchdowns and commercials, we’re watching for something else: Black excellence dominating the biggest stage in sports.

The Bay Area: A Black History Powerhouse

It’s fitting that Super Bowl LIX is being held in the Bay Area—a region with deep roots in Black liberation movements.

Oakland (just across the bay from Santa Clara) was the birthplace of the Black Panther Party in 1966, founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. The Panthers created free breakfast programs for children, health clinics, and community defense initiatives—mutual aid before it was trendy.

San Francisco was home to Maya Angelou, who lived and worked in the Fillmore District (historically known as the “Harlem of the West”).

The Bay Area has been a hub for Black tech workers, entrepreneurs, and activists pushing for equity in Silicon Valley.

So when the Super Bowl comes to the Bay, it’s coming to Black liberation territory.

The Numbers: Black Players Built the NFL

Let’s be clear about something:

Black players make up approximately 57% of NFL rosters.

We are the majority on the field.

But in the front offices, ownership, and head coaching positions? We’re barely there.

As of the 2025-2026 season:

  • 6 out of 32 head coaches are Black (18.75%)

  • Zero Black majority owners of NFL teams

  • Black representation in front offices remains under 25%

So when you watch the Super Bowl, remember:

Black bodies are generating billions of dollars for a league that still won’t give us full access to power.

Sound familiar? (See: Henrietta Lacks, enslaved labor, sharecropping, etc.)

Patriots vs. Seahawks: The Black Excellence Breakdown

New England Patriots:

The Patriots’ success this season has been powered by Black talent:

  • QB Marcus Thompson (example name) - A dual-threat quarterback whose scrambling ability and arm strength have drawn comparisons to Lamar Jackson

  • WR Davon Mitchell (example name) - Leading the team in receiving yards, a game-breaker who’s been unstoppable in the playoffs

  • LB Isaiah Grant (example name) - The defensive anchor, leading in tackles and defensive play-calling

Seattle Seahawks:

The Seahawks’ return to the Super Bowl is a testament to Black coaching and playing excellence:

  • Head Coach Mike Macdonald is one of the youngest head coaches in the league, but the team’s success is driven by Black coordinators and position coaches

  • RB Kenneth Walker III - One of the most explosive running backs in the league

  • CB Devon Witherspoon - Defensive standout, lockdown cornerback

  • DK Metcalf - Dominant wide receiver, physical specimen, and cultural icon

Black History & The NFL: More Than Just Players

Fritz Pollard - In 1921, he became the first Black head coach in NFL history (Akron Pros). It took 68 years before another Black head coach was hired (Art Shell, 1989).

Paul Robeson - Before he was a renowned singer and civil rights activist, he was an All-American football player at Rutgers and played professionally in the 1920s.

Jim Brown - Arguably the greatest running back of all time, retired at his peak to focus on civil rights activism and acting.

Colin Kaepernick - Took a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality. Was blackballed from the NFL. Still unsigned. His sacrifice opened the door for today’s player activism. He played for the San Francisco 49ers—meaning he took a knee in the very region hosting this Super Bowl.

The NNPA (National Newspaper Publishers Association) documented that during the 1960s, Black journalists fought to cover Black athletes fairly—because white media either ignored them or portrayed them as thugs.

Doug Williams - First Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl (1988, Washington). Faced racism throughout his career but dominated on the biggest stage.

MB’s Super Bowl Pick: Seahawks 31, Patriots 27

Here’s my pick, and it’s rooted in Black coaching, Black resilience, and Black culture.

Why the Seahawks win:

  1. Seattle’s defense is elite - Led by Devon Witherspoon and a secondary that’s been shutting down top receivers all season

  2. Kenneth Walker III is a wildcard - The Patriots’ defense struggles against dynamic running backs

  3. West Coast advantage - Seattle is used to playing in California; the shorter travel benefits them

  4. Seattle’s coordinators are calling brilliant games - The offensive and defensive schemes have been next-level in the playoffs

  5. Cultural momentum - Playing in the Bay Area, where the Black Panther Party was born, where Kaepernick took a knee—the symbolism matters

But honestly?

No matter who wins, Black excellence wins.

Because the real MVPs are the players putting their bodies on the line every Sunday—many of whom come from communities that are over-policed, under-resourced, and told they’ll never make it.

And here they are. On the biggest stage in American sports. In the Bay Area. Where Black liberation movements were born.

That’s Black history. That’s Black excellence. That’s us.

Super Bowl Fun Facts You Didn’t Know (Black History Edition)

🏈 This is the first Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium since Super Bowl 50 in 2016 - That game featured the Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers (led by Black QB Cam Newton). Beyoncé performed at halftime with “Formation,” a powerful Black pride anthem that caused controversy and became iconic.

🏈 Levi’s Stadium is in Santa Clara, but it’s the home of the San Francisco 49ers - The team where Colin Kaepernick took a knee. His jersey sales skyrocketed after his protest. He’s still not signed to a team, but his impact is undeniable.

🏈 The Super Bowl halftime show in 2026 has not been announced yet, but historically, Black artists have dominated halftime (Beyoncé, Prince, Michael Jackson, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Usher in 2024).

🏈 The most-watched Super Bowl halftime show of all time? Rihanna (2023) with 118.7 million viewers—a pregnant Black woman commanding the biggest stage in the world.

🏈 Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest food consumption day in America (after Thanksgiving). And let’s be real—Black people brought the flavor to Super Bowl parties. (Wings, mac and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, sweet potato pie—you’re welcome, America.)

🏈 The first Black player to win Super Bowl MVP? Franco Harris (1975, Pittsburgh Steelers). He was of Black and Italian descent and broke barriers while dominating.

🏈 Vince Lombardi, the coach the Super Bowl trophy is named after, was actually an advocate for racial equality. He refused to allow segregation on his team and was outspoken about civil rights.

🏈 The Bay Area connection: The region has produced legendary Black athletes including Bill Russell (Oakland), Gary Payton (Oakland), Marshawn Lynch (Oakland), and countless others who dominated their sports.

Super Bowl Watch Party Ideas (MB Style)

🏈 Host a “Black Excellence Super Bowl Party”

  • Decorate with Black History Month themes

  • Serve food from Black-owned restaurants or cook soul food classics

  • Create a trivia game about Black NFL players and history

  • Donate a portion of party funds to Black youth sports programs

🏈 Support Black-owned businesses for your Super Bowl spread:

  • Order wings from a Black-owned restaurant

  • Buy snacks from Black-owned brands (BLK & Bold coffee, Partake Foods chips)

  • Stream the game while supporting Black content creators on social media

🏈 Make it educational:

  • Share Black NFL history facts during commercial breaks

  • Discuss Colin Kaepernick’s impact with younger attendees

  • Watch the halftime show and discuss Black artists’ cultural contributions

Sources:

  • NFL Official Statistics (nfl.com)

  • Levi’s Stadium official website

  • Fritz Pollard Alliance

  • The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), annual report cards

  • The Heritage of the Black Athlete by various historians

  • ESPN, Super Bowl coverage and historical data

  • San Francisco 49ers official history

  • Black Panther Party archives (Oakland)

🏈 TAG US IN YOUR SUPER BOWL PICS! Use #MBSuperBowl and tag @melaninblissmedia

Who are you rooting for? Patriots or Seahawks? Reply and let us know! 💛🏈

Next week’s newsletter: Super Bowl recap, Black quarterbacks who changed the game, and the business of Black athletes.

Sources:

  • NFL Official Statistics (nfl.com)

  • Fritz Pollard Alliance

  • The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), annual report cards

  • The Heritage of the Black Athlete by various historians

  • ESPN, Super Bowl coverage and historical data

HUSTLE: BLACK ENTREPRENEURSHIP & ECONOMIC POWER IN 2026

Dr. King’s Economic Vision Is Alive in Black Business

Dr. King didn’t just dream about racial equality—he demanded economic justice.

In 1967, he launched the Poor People’s Campaign calling for:

  • Guaranteed income

  • Federal jobs programs

  • Affordable housing

  • Quality education

58 years later, we’re still fighting for those things.

But we’re also building our own.

Black Entrepreneurship Is Booming

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2025 data):

  • Black-owned businesses grew by 38% from 2019 to 2024 (faster than any other demographic)

  • There are now over 3.5 million Black-owned businesses in the U.S.

  • Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs

  • Black-owned businesses generate $206 billion in annual revenue

But here’s the catch:

Black businesses still face:

  • Difficulty accessing capital (Black entrepreneurs receive less than 2% of venture capital funding)

  • Higher interest rates on business loans

  • Redlining in commercial real estate (yes, it still happens)

  • Less access to mentorship and networks

We’re building despite the barriers. Imagine what we could do without them.

Black-Owned Businesses to Support This BHM

Beauty & Wellness:

  • Fenty Beauty (Rihanna) - Revolutionized inclusive beauty

  • Pattern Beauty (Tracee Ellis Ross) - Haircare for curls, coils, and waves

  • The Honey Pot Company - Feminine care products

  • Briogeo (Nancy Twine) - Clean haircare

Food & Beverage:

  • BLK & Bold - Specialty coffee and tea, gives back to youth

  • Partake Foods - Allergen-free snacks

  • Slutty Vegan (Pinky Cole) - Atlanta-based vegan chain expanding nationwide

  • Uncle Nearest Whiskey - Premium whiskey honoring Nathan “Nearest” Green, the first Black master distiller

Fashion:

  • Harlem’s Fashion Row - Luxury fashion collective

  • Brother Vellies (Aurora James) - Sustainable luxury accessories

  • Fe Noel - Caribbean-inspired ready-to-wear

  • Kerby Jean-Raymond (Pyer Moss) - Storytelling through fashion

Books & Media:

  • Semicolon Bookstore (Chicago)

  • Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books (Philadelphia)

  • The Lit. Bar (Bronx, NY)

  • Melanin Bliss Media (hi, that’s us 👋🏾)

Tech:

  • Calendly (Tope Awotona) - Nigerian immigrant founder, now worth $3 billion

  • Partpic (Jewel Burks Solomon) - Acquired by Amazon

  • Walker & Company (Tristan Walker) - Sold to Procter & Gamble

The Wealth Gap: The Numbers They Don’t Want You To See

According to the Federal Reserve’s 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances:

  • Median white family wealth: $188,200

  • Median Black family wealth: $24,100

That’s a 7.8x difference.

Let that sink in.

And it’s not because Black people don’t work hard. It’s because of systemic barriers:

  • Slavery (stolen labor for 250 years)

  • Jim Crow (denied property rights, education, voting)

  • Redlining (denied homeownership, the primary wealth-building tool in America)

  • Mass incarceration (removing Black men from the workforce and families)

  • Wage theft (Black workers paid less for the same work)

  • Predatory lending (targeting Black communities with subprime loans)

This isn’t ancient history. This is NOW.

The racial wealth gap has barely changed since 1968—the year Dr. King was assassinated fighting for economic justice.

MB’s Take: We Build Anyway

Despite the wealth gap, despite the barriers, despite being denied capital—we’re building.

Every Black-owned coffee shop. Every Black tech founder. Every Black woman launching a product line from her kitchen. Every Black teenager starting a side hustle.

That’s resistance.

That’s Dr. King’s Poor People’s Campaign in action.

We don’t wait for systems to change. We build new systems.

Sources:

  • U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Business Survey (2025)

  • Federal Reserve, Survey of Consumer Finances (2025)

  • U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

  • McKinsey & Company, “The Economic Impact of Closing the Racial Wealth Gap”

  • The Color of Money by Mehrsa Baradaran

KNOWLEDGE: THE INVENTORS & SCIENTISTS THEY ERASED

Black Inventors Who Changed the World (& received ZERO Credit)

Remember flipping through science textbooks as a kid and seeing almost no Black faces?

That wasn’t an accident. That was erasure.

Here are just some of the Black inventors and scientists whose contributions were stolen, ignored, or attributed to white people:

Garrett Morgan (1877-1963) - Invented the traffic signal (the three-position traffic light) and the gas mask (which saved countless lives, including during WWI).

Lewis Latimer (1848-1928) - Improved the light bulb by inventing the carbon filament, making it affordable and long-lasting. Worked with both Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison. Edison gets the credit. Latimer is forgotten.

Granville T. Woods (1856-1910) - Known as “The Black Edison,” he held more than 50 patents, including the multiplex telegraph (which allowed communication between moving trains, reducing accidents).

Dr. Patricia Bath (1942-2019) - Invented the Laserphaco Probe, a device that uses lasers to remove cataracts. She was the first Black woman doctor to receive a medical patent. Her invention has restored sight to millions.

Dr. Charles Drew (1904-1950) - Pioneered blood plasma storage and blood banks, saving countless lives during WWII. Ironically, he died after a car accident when a whites-only hospital refused to treat him adequately.

Marie Van Brittan Brown (1922-1999) - Invented the home security system in 1966, creating the foundation for modern CCTV and security technology.

Lonnie Johnson (1949-present) - NASA engineer who invented the Super Soaker water gun (making childhood summers legendary) and holds over 100 patents in energy technology.

Dr. Mark Dean (1957-present) - IBM computer scientist who holds three of the nine original patents for the modern personal computer. Yes, the computer you’re probably reading this on—a Black man helped invent it.

And of course, Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951) - Her “immortal” HeLa cells revolutionized medicine, leading to the polio vaccine, cancer research, IVF, gene mapping, and COVID-19 research. Her cells have been used in over 75,000 studies. Her family was never compensated until 2023.

Why This Matters

These inventors didn’t just “contribute” to society. They built the modern world.

And yet, they’re footnotes. Or they’re completely erased.

Why?

Because acknowledging Black genius disrupts the narrative that white people are inherently superior.

It disrupts the lie that Black people “have contributed nothing.”

It disrupts the justification for slavery, Jim Crow, and ongoing systemic racism.

So they erased us.

But Black History Month—100 years strong—says: Not anymore.

Sources:

  • Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

  • National Inventors Hall of Fame

  • MIT, Black innovators archive

  • Black Inventors: Crafting Over 200 Years of Success by Keith C. Holmes

  • Johns Hopkins Medicine, Henrietta Lacks Legacy

CULTURE: THE ART THAT KEPT US ALIVE

2026 Black History Month Theme: African Americans and the Arts

Our art isn’t just beautiful. It’s survival.

When they tried to strip us of our language, we created new ones (Gullah, Creole, African American Vernacular English).

When they tried to break our spirits, we sang spirituals with coded messages for the Underground Railroad.

When they tried to silence us, we created jazz, blues, gospel, funk, soul, hip-hop.

When they killed us, we painted murals so the world couldn’t look away (George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin murals worldwide).

Black Art Moments That Defined America

🎨 The Harlem Renaissance (1920s-1930s) - Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Duke Ellington, Josephine Baker—Black artists created a cultural explosion that redefined American art.

🎵 The Birth of Jazz - Rooted in African rhythms, blues, and the lived experience of Black Americans in New Orleans, jazz became America’s original art form. (And white people tried to take credit for it.)

James Baldwin’s Writings - The Fire Next Time, Giovanni’s Room, Go Tell It on the Mountain—Baldwin told our truth unapologetically and changed American literature forever.

🎬 Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” (1989) - A film about racial tension that was more relevant in 2020 than when it came out. That’s not progress—that’s proof the system hasn’t changed.

Hip-Hop Culture - Born in the Bronx in the 1970s, hip-hop became the voice of marginalized communities worldwide. From Grandmaster Flash to Kendrick Lamar, it’s poetry, protest, and power.

August Wilson’s Plays - Fences, The Piano Lesson, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom—chronicling Black life across the 20th century with unmatched depth and humanity.

Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” (2016) - Visual album that addressed infidelity, Black womanhood, police brutality, resilience, and Black Southern culture. A masterpiece.

Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” & “13th” - Documenting the civil rights movement and mass incarceration with precision and artistry.

Kehinde Wiley & Amy Sherald - Painted President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama’s official portraits for the Smithsonian. Black excellence, immortalized.

Black Art in 2026

Right now, Black artists are:

  • Dominating music charts (Burna Boy, Tems, SZA, Kendrick, GloRilla)

  • Creating groundbreaking films (Origin, upcoming biopics, Black-led Marvel films)

  • Redefining visual art (Titus Kaphar, Jordan Casteel, Kehinde Wiley)

  • Leading Broadway (Black playwrights and actors winning Tonys)

  • Building media empires (Tyler Perry, Issa Rae, Donald Glover)

We’re not just participating in culture. We ARE culture.

Sources:

  • Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

  • ASALH, 2026 Black History Month theme

  • The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois (1903)

  • The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (1963)

❤️ HEART: COMMUNITY CARE & MENTAL HEALTH

We’re Still Healing

Last month, I told you about losing my brother Poppy to suicide on January 1, 2026.

The grief hasn’t gone anywhere. Some days it’s a dull ache. Other days it’s a tidal wave.

But I’m still here. And so are you.

Black History Month isn’t just about celebrating victories. It’s about acknowledging survival.

Surviving slavery. Surviving Jim Crow. Surviving redlining. Surviving police brutality. Surviving medical racism. Surviving poverty born from systemic oppression. Surviving mental health crises without adequate care.

Our ancestors survived so we could be here.

And now we’re responsible for surviving so the next generation can thrive.

Mental Health Resources (Because We’re Still Here)

🩷 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988 (24/7, free, confidential)

🩷 The Steve Fund Crisis Line - Text “STEVE” to 741741 (young people of color)

🩷 Therapy for Black Girls - therapyforblackgirls.com

🩷 Therapy for Black Men - therapyforblackmen.org

🩷 The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation - borislhensonfoundation.org

🩷 Black Mental Health Alliance - blackmentalhealth.com

If you’re struggling, please reach out. Your life matters. We need you here.

FINAL WORD: 100 YEARS AND COUNTING

Dr. Carter G. Woodson started Black History Month 100 years ago because he knew:

If we don’t tell our story, they will erase it.

100 years later, they’re still trying.

Book bans. Curriculum restrictions. Attacking critical race theory (which isn’t even taught in K-12). Removing portraits of Dr. King from the Oval Office. Telling us to “get over” slavery.

But we’re still here.

Still teaching our children the truth. Still building businesses despite the wealth gap. Still creating art that moves the world. Still inventing technology that changes lives. Still playing on the biggest stages. Still surviving. Still thriving.

We are not a brand, but a blueprint.

And the blueprint is 100 years strong.

Happy Black History Month, Truth Seekers.

Let’s make Dr. Woodson proud.

— Amber McClendon
Founder & CEO, Melanin Bliss Media LLC

📱 Connect With MB:
Instagram: @melaninblissmedia
TikTok: @melaninblissmedia
Website: melaninblissmedia.com

🏈 Super Bowl Watch Party? Tag us in your game day pics! Use #MBSuperBowl

📚 This Month’s Read: The Mis-Education of the Negro by Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1933) - The book that started it all.

Resources & Sources:

  • ASALH (asalh.org)

  • Smithsonian NMAAHC

  • Library of Congress

  • U.S. Census Bureau

  • Federal Reserve

  • NFL Stats & TIDES Report

  • All sources cited throughout

The Melanin Memo is published by Melanin Bliss LLC. © 2026. Redistribution encouraged with attribution.

🖤 We are not a brand, but a blueprint.

NEXT WEEK: Super Bowl recap, Black entrepreneurship deep-dive, and the history of Black women in STEM they don’t teach you.

Stay tuned, 💛✊🏾