With the start of February comes the start of Black History Month. Black History Month is the celebration of the black diaspora’s culture. This commemoration is recognized, legally and officially, in the United States.
The origins of Black History Month are quite interesting. It began in 1915 when historian Carter G. Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland both founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). This organization was made to research and promote achievements by Black Americans and others of African heritage. This group sponsored a national Negro History Week in 1926. They choose the second week in February to overlap with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederik Douglass. This week made many schools and communities nationwide organize local celebrations and spread the knowledge of black history. By the late 1960s, “Negro History Week” had turned into Black History month on college campuses. President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month as a national holiday in 1976. The purpose of this was to highlight the accomplishments of Black Americans throughout history.
In the cafeteria, during all three lunches, students could make pins with an iconic black figure on them. Some of the figures included Oprah Winfrey, Martin Luther King Jr., Jimi Hendrix, Beyonce, Jackie Robinson, and many more. This was done to celebrate Black History Month and students were pleased to participate. Black students across U.S and especially in Warhill High School progress through this month with pride and love for their culture. This month is dedicated to the black diaspora’s rich and diverse culture. Black History Month is something that will always have its mark in history for its main purpose: showing pride in one’s blackness.
