The Trump Administration Can’t Kill Black History Month
The Atlantic
February 25, 2026
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The Trump Administration Can’t Kill Black History Month
by Clint Smith
In a poignant reflection on the enduring legacy of Black history, Clint Smith revisits his mother’s childhood integration into T. J. Semmes Elementary School in New Orleans during the 1960s. The school, once a symbol of resistance to desegregation, closed in 1978 and was later demolished. Yet its story remains etched in the collective memory of Black Americans. Smith shares how his mother’s experiences as one of the first Black students at Semmes—fending for herself without federal protection—helped him teach his own children that Black history is not just a distant narrative but a lived reality tied to their family and community.
The article highlights the broader struggle for integration in New Orleans during the 1960s, when white parents withdrew their children from schools to avoid desegregation. The city became a flashpoint with the iconic Ruby Bridges’ solo integration of Frantz Elementary in 1960, immortalized in Norman Rockwell’s painting *The Problem We All Live With*. Smith reflects on how his mother and other Black students at Semmes faced similar challenges, proving that resistance to integration was not just legal but deeply personal.
The piece underscores the importance of remembering these lesser-known stories of desegregation, which often go untaught in schools. By revisiting the history of Semmes and the New Orleans Four—Ruby Bridges, Tessie Prevost, Gail Etienne, and Leona Tate—the article challenges the erasure of Black historical narratives. Smith’s account serves as a reminder that Black history
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Originally published on The Atlantic on 2/25/2026