It is a celebration that has color in its name but is truly about becoming colorblind.

February is Black History Month, an important focus on heritage and tradition for many African Americans. It serves as a poignant reminder — sometimes a painful one — of their journey to freedom and exactly how far our society has come.

And also how far we still have to go.

For many Americans who aren’t black, the month of celebrations means little and are viewed as something that doesn’t affect them or speak to their lives.

That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Black History Month is about African American culture but that is intertwined irremovably with American culture.

Citizens of all colors can benefit from understanding the path our nation has taken to where we are today with the first black President in Barack Obama.

After all, if we don’t learn from the mistakes of our past then we are doomed to repeat them as a society.

We hope that all U.S. citizens take this month as an opportunity to educate our youth or ourselves about how each and every race and culture are all part of the fabric of America that we all love.

Black History Month should be about increasing understanding, acceptance and equality plus finding a common ground.

After all, the most important factor that we must remember is that we all have a common bond. The only race that truly matters is the one in which we all share membership: the human race.