Black History Week:
Did you know that Black History Month only started off as one week and not a month? It was known as “Negro History Week” before it became a month. It didn’t sit well with the members of Black United Students (aka BUS), students wanted to extend this week into a month where people remember all the impacts African Americans made and how it affected society.
DeAndre Arroyo, a freshman at Tracy High School, was asked if there were any significant events in black history month that he found most inspiring.
“I find Ruby Bridges most inspiring because she was the only student, who was African American, to ever be in a school filled with whites,” Arroyo responded.
“Young adults are prone to being able to understand history of the past of certain individuals better.” Jaden Kimura stated, when asked what role education plays in promoting a better understanding of Black History Month.
Black History Month:
President Gerald Ford observed the actions of BUS and made Black History Month nationwide. Black History Month, a month where people celebrate and honor all the African Americans who have made an impact, in which they struggled for freedom and equal opportunity.
This celebration includes stories of activism and racism. Many African Americans were all leaders like Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Barbara Jordan, Martin Luther King Jr, W.E.B. Du Bois, Fredrick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.
Black History Month is celebrated on the 1st of February, and it ends on March 1.
Origins of Black History Month:
As addressed before in black history week, Carter G Woodson was known as the “father of black history” and who made a start in 1926 to promote and educate other’s on black history and culture. He wanted to do this because of the impact that all African Americans had.
Did you know:
- February was selected as Black history to cover the birthdays of 2 great Americans who have had a well-known role for shaping black history. Their names are Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
- February became Black History month in 1976.
- Black History month themes change yearly.
- William tucker was the first Black person born in the 13 colonies.
