Ever since February 1969, the United States has celebrated Black History Month to commemorate the triumphs and hardships of Black Americans throughout time. It is a time of reflection, learning and honoring individuals鈥攁nd events鈥攖hat often get left out of discussions in history classes.
Honoring prominent figures in Black history is an important part of the month鈥檚 celebrations. Three 91成人AV students were asked to share about their favorite figures in Black history.
鈥淎 figure that I look up to in Black history is Jackie Robinson,鈥� says Jacorie Johnson, a senior from 91成人AV, Florida majoring in graphic design and minoring in illustration.
Jackie Robinson was the first Black man to play Major League Baseball in 1947 for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
鈥淚鈥檓 not even much of a huge baseball fan myself,鈥� says Johnson, 鈥渂ut I find him to be really inspiring, as he was a spark for a change that America needed as a country. For him to be the first Black man to be successful in major league baseball, that鈥檚 big for him and that鈥檚 also big for the Black community because it kind of shows that, 鈥楬ey, we can do the same things that these other people are doing,鈥� [and that] we don鈥檛 have to be in the background.鈥�
Victoria Nwaneri, a senior who was born in Nigeria but raised in Atlanta, Georgia and is majoring in biological sciences and minoring in sports business. She鈥檚 also president of the Black Student Union.
鈥淢y favorite person [from Black history] is Ruby Bridges, who was a civil rights activist,鈥� Nwaneri said. 鈥淪he was the first person to integrate an all-white school, so she kind of set the foundation for us Black students to attend American schools all [across the country].鈥�
At age 6, Ruby Bridges began attending William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana after passing the entrance exams that had been implemented to ensure that prospective Black students had an educational background on par with that of the students from the previously all-white school. Bridges was accompanied by four federal marshals every day as she walked to school, enduring hostile white protestors as they heckled and threatened her.
Amaya Wright, a junior from Brooklyn, New York who is majoring in communication and minoring in health science and sports communication, says, 鈥淢y most inspiring figure from Black history is a little different than normal, but it鈥檚 Michael Jackson.鈥�
Michael Jackson was a famous musician who got his start singing in the Jackson 5 family band in 1964 when he was only 8 years old. Later, he became a solo artist well known for his songs such as 鈥淭hriller,鈥� 鈥淏illie Jean,鈥� and 鈥淏eat It.鈥�
鈥淚 absolutely love Michael Jackson,鈥� says Wright. 鈥淚鈥檝e loved him since I was little.鈥�
Wright says his passion of music inspired her, because he stayed dedicated to doing what he loved, despite his hardships.
鈥淗e was always very much himself and I admire that,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淚 admire that. I was so young at the time, but I remember when he died; I remember what I was doing. I was so distraught. I鈥檝e always had a Michael Jackson poster or something in my room. I absolutely love him鈥攈e鈥檚 my absolute favorite.鈥�
Black History Month is celebrated in February because its founder, Carter G. Woodson, recognized that both Frederick Douglass, a prominent orator, abolitionist and former enslaved person from the 19th century, and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, which declared all enslaved Americans to be free, shared a birthday week during that month.
What began as a week-long celebration encouraging education on Black history in public schools in 1926 eventually evolved into the month-long event it is today.
Without civil rights leaders advocating for its establishment in the 1960s, Black History Month might never have been declared an officially recognized, nationwide event in 1976 by President Gerald Ford.
