Rio Hondo hosted a special film screening on Feb. 17, and Feb. 18, from noon to 2:15 p.m., in Student Union room 201. While moviegoers enjoyed a special screening, snacks as well as refreshments were offered for free for those who participated.
After the screening was over, a discussion was held where students reflected on the film and its overall message. While students sat on their chairs and became aware of the struggles faced before, a few questions came to mind: Who came up with Black History Month? Why is it celebrated?
Black History Month originated in 1915 when respected Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH).
Through this organization Woodson and Moorland promoted achievements by African Americans, which led to a week dedicated to their history and in 1926 this nationwide celebration became known as Negro History Week.
Black History Month is a vital part of not only African American history, but American history as well. As a country that takes great pride in liberty, freedom and its diversity, Black History Month is a perfect representation of all three.
That is why it is the tradition continues to this day, as every president since 1976 has continued to designate February as Black History Month. Black History Month serves a wonderful purpose in allowing the country to remember African Americans of the past for their sacrifice and achievements as well as to glorify those in present time.
Not only that, but it serves as a constant reminder that we have come a long way as a nation and we are much better for it. Since that time the weeklong honor has evolved into a month-long, annual celebration of the lives and achievements of some of the most prominent African Americans throughout the course of United States history. The list of names ranges from civil rights activists Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. to color barrier breaking, Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Famer, Jackie Robinson.
Dr. King is famously remembered because of his role as a leader in the fight to end segregation in the United States as well as his unforgettable “I Have a Dream” speech.
Rosa Parks is forever etched into U.S. history for her refusal to give up her front seat on a public bus to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. The incident created a citywide boycott that eventually forced the city of Montgomery to lift the segregation law on forms of public transportation.
Jackie Robinson is remembered across the nation for breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947. He signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers and although he faced harsh backlash, he not only broke the color barrier, but he played the game of baseball at an elite level.
He won numerous accolades throughout his 10-year career including Rookie of the Year in 1947, the World Series in 1955 and eventually being inducted into MLB’s Hall of Fame in 1962. Black History Month is celebrated on school campuses nationwide, from Pre-K all the way to the college level.
Some cities across the country hold peaceful marches in honor of those who fought the segregation laws. To gain better insight into what students think, some of them were asked what Black History means to them.
Similar answers were given, as students understand the importance and the role black history plays in our currently lives. Rio student Steven Sanchez said, “Black History Month is a period celebrated nationwide that provides incite to the African-American culture.
This month wills the opportunity to reflect on the decades of oppression and growth for the African-American community. Black History Month not only shows how far the African-American culture has come, but how far America has progressed as well.”
That statement could not hold more truth. As aforementioned, as a country that takes tremendous pride in its diversity, American merely underlines the importance of Black History Month as a vital piece of what is American History as a whole.
May the tradition carry on until the end of time.
