Celebrating The Past and Present During Black History Month

Sherrin Smith

Contributing

Writer

February is known for two things: love season for some and Black History Month for others. What these two have in common is that the same words and faces are shared every year. As a member of the black community, I believe it is important to know that black history is not just Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech and Rosa Parks’ act of resistance on a bus during the era of segregation. Black History Month is a time to celebrate and recognize all the milestones that members of the black community have accomplished, even the ones made today.

Recently, Fisk University, a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), made history. The women’s gymnastics team, which consists of all black members, became the first HBCU gymnastics team to compete on the NCAA level. The arrival of Fisk into NCAA gymnastics is a milestone for the black community. According to the NCAA (NCAA Demographics Database - NCAA.org), in 2022, across all divisions in the NCAA, there were only 8% black female gymnasts and 9% black male gymnasts that competed. Representation matters, and Fisk University did just that during their last competition.

To continue with the “Black Girl Magic,” Kamala Harris became the first black and south Asian woman to be placed on a presidential ballot and be elected Vice President of the United States. I remember watching her being inaugurated in January of 2021 and thinking “what a moment in history to witness.” To not only see a woman in power, but a black woman in power proved to me that black women can do anything. Vice President Harris became a beacon to black women by encouraging them to go after leadership roles.

Shortly thereafter, Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Once again, another powerful example of black history being made in modern time. The Super Bowl will also be making history this year. Super Bowl LVII will be the first time two black starting quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes, face off against each other in the league’s history. Besides the highly anticipated comeback of Rihanna, who is also the first black woman to own a cosmetics brand that is worth over one billion dollars, fans will be witnessing an historic game during Black History Month.

When asked how she feels witnessing impactful history, senior Jenna Philippe said, “when focusing on history made in the black community, we are growing to be more and more outspoken about the issues we face today, yet external forces are simultaneously growing stronger to silence those voices and to keep the black community down.” Those external forces include the American education system.

Despite history still being made, black history is usually poorly taught in classrooms around the country, if it is taught at all. Growing up, many of us only learned about Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, and usually not about their more radical statements and views. Today, young black people rely on social media to teach them their history because it’s not being taught in their classrooms. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis recently banned Advanced Placement African American studies from schools statewide. DeSantis’ ban sparked an outcry and a high demand for this ban to be overturned in the name of black history being American history.

Navigator, Tyler Kearney-Good, commented on how the education system can improve in teaching black history. “I would like to see Black history taught as just history. There is so much that isn’t taught that is important to the development of our country today. Even today, black people and black culture have obvious influences om pop culture and vernacular,” she said.

The more things change in America, the more they stay the same. America’s sad history of racism and discrimination continues to harm people in the present. The fear of black men still exists, the unequal treatment in predominantly black schools is still occurring, and the underappreciation for black women is experienced every day. The promise of this country that all people should be treated equally is still not met, and efforts to conceal the long history of America’s failure to meet its promises have only intensified as more “forgotten history” is being publicized. Luckily, unheard stories are being displayed, mainly in movies. For instance, “Hidden Figures” highlights three “computers,” Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughn who assisted NASA with its first mission of orbiting the Earth, the movie “Harriet,” tells the true story of Harriet Tubman and how the Underground Railroad was the name of an abolitionist group. Simple inventions have been created by black people.

Frederick McKinley Jones patented the first refrigeration system in 1940 to transport frozen food and produce. Garrett Morgan was responsible for creating hair straighteners for black people, the first known breathing mask for miners and firefighters, and the traffic light. Small things that we don’t usually think about or appreciate came from the minds of black inventors.

It is important to stay in the know about what events contribute to this country’s history. So, as you go throughout Black History Month this year, take the time to learn of other figures that brought us to where we are today and appreciate the ones continuing the legacy of those before us.