Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green before an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in San Francisco, Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Black History Month ended on Tuesday, but if NBA star Draymond Green has his way, it’ll be done away with for good. His reason: Black History should be taught all year.
“Black History Month – at some point, can we get rid of it?” Green asked on Feb. 28, the last government-sanctioned day of Black History Month. “Why we gotta keep getting the shortest month to celebrate our history?”
He made the comments during a post-game press conference in response to a reporter’s questions after the Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trailblazers. The journalist highlighted that it was the last day of the month that celebrations the contributions of Black Americans and that funk legend George Clinton was in the arena. He then asked Green if he had a favorite George Clinton song.
“I don’t celebrate Black History Month,” Green replied while the reporter spoke. When the reporter clarified he knew Black History should be celebrated 365 days a year, Green answered his question about Clinton, noted he took a picture with him, and then doubled down on his stance.
“What I do want to go back to is Black History Month. This is actually the first time that you’ve seen me in a Black History Month shirt … and it’s very intentional, and I really just threw this shirt on because I didn’t have another shirt to throw on,” Green said.
“You got governors wanting to take our history out of schools, and I’m not going to be the fool to go say, ‘Yeah, we can celebrate it for 28 days.’ So, at some point, I’d like to get rid of it,” Green continued. “We’re making all these changes in the world — can’t talk about these people, can’t talk about those people, can’t say this, can’t say that. At some point, it’s time to get rid of Black History Month.”
“Not get rid of Black History, like they’re trying to do, but Black History Month – n’all, teach my history from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. And then do it again, and then again, and then again, and then again. That’s what I’d like to see,” Green concluded.
Watch Green’s entire post-game press conference below. His exchange with the reporter about Black History Month begins around the 10:15 mark.
