2024 Archive

In the United States, Black History Month is a significant and joyous occasion honoring the accomplishments, hardships, and contributions of African Americans across the ages. But it's important to recognize that Black history matters and shouldn't just be celebrated for a month out of the year. Black history must be incorporated into our everyday lives as Americans in order to properly commemorate the rich tapestry of African American ancestry. This paper investigates how we might make sure that Black History Month stays in our collective consciousness long after it has officially ended.

In order to transcend the constraints of a certain month, knowledge is essential. Students will be exposed to the various narratives that have influenced our country if Black history is included in the national curriculum. Rather than being isolated for a month, African American history ought to be assiduously integrated into the overall narrative of American history. By adding the narratives of Black activists, leaders, and common people into regular classes, we cultivate an atmosphere that honors and appreciates the achievements of all Americans. Reforms to the curriculum should cover science, math, literature, and the arts in addition to history classes. Throughout history, black authors, scientists, mathematicians, and artists have made enormous contributions, and their work need to be recognized in a variety of fields. This methodology not only improves the precision and inclusiveness of our school system but also fosters a more comprehensive comprehension of the connections between different fields of study.

Having a varied presence in the media is another way to guarantee that Black history is incorporated into our everyday existence. Media, including literature, movies, and television, has a significant impact on how society views itself. As a result, it is critical to encourage and support a variety of viewpoints in these fields. Production companies for movies and television shows ought to make a conscious effort to find and create material that showcases the diversity of the American experience. This entails presenting tales that highlight the successes, pleasures, and ordinary lives of Black people in addition to the standard narratives of oppression and struggle. Furthermore, varied representation must to include those in behind-the-scenes positions like producers, directors, and writers to guarantee that a range of viewpoints are included in the content development process.

Activating the community is necessary to create a setting where Black history is a part of everyday life. Events and celebrations honoring the contributions of African Americans can be planned by local governments, community organizations, and private citizens. These activities ought to be included into communal life on a daily basis, not just during one month. Instead, they ought to take place all year round. In addition, encouraging cross-cultural interactions and cooperation amongst diverse groups fosters appreciation and understanding amongst them. People can have a deeper understanding of the rich cultural fabric that permeates the American experience by taking part in activities that highlight the diversity of customs, music, dance, and art within the African American community.

In conclusion, it will take a thorough and ongoing effort to make sure that Black history is not limited to a single month. The three main pillars in reaching this goal are community involvement, media representation, and education. We can create a society that is more inclusive and egalitarian by incorporating African Americans' contributions, stories, and accomplishments into our everyday lives. Recognizing that Black history is American history on a daily basis is essential to building harmony, comprehension, and respect for the rich diversity that constitutes our country.

Dear Kathrine Johnson,
I am writing this letter to you to thank you for the inspiration and drive you have given me. I know we do not know each other but let me tell you a bit about myself. My name is Axelle James, I am a mixed individual who is majoring in biology to go study Entomology which I've always had a passion for. Growing up I was always a smart individual especially in Math and English and one year I had a Caucasian teacher belittle me in many ways, but one way stood out to me and impacted my life and mental health for the rest of the ongoing years. I was struggling with one part of the math lesson that week and went to her for tutoring to which she said to me “It's okay, African Americans struggle with this subject” with me being naive and young I had taken that as a sweet phrase to which I replied, “Oh wow really that's cool!” But it was not in fact cool, nor sweet because right after that I started struggling in that subject more telling myself I'm not good enough for this subject, that if I wanted a career, it would not have to involve math. And all just because of the color of my skin.

While I did not understand it back then I do now all because of you. I had watched the movie “Hidden Figures” and learned about these 3 beautiful colored individuals who worked for NASA and were smart in that same subject that I was told we struggled in and let me tell you it blew my mind! I felt every ounce of my body take the power that was dimmed out for so long, I had felt betrayed and saw right through that teacher’s words. Because whether or not someone struggles with math has nothing to do with the color of their skin, I was not nor is anyone else doomed to fail in a subject from the minute they were born, and I saw that through you. And not only did you prove that but you did it in a field dominated by Caucasians. And soon after seeing that movie I challenged that degrading part of me and did well in my math classes and came across another teacher in high school telling me she felt I was not ready for Algebra 2 because I struggled a little in her geometry class as so did many of my peers did, and I was not the only one who received that comment, another colored peer was told that too and none of our Caucasian peers and friends who did the same or failed had gotten that comment. Instead of taking her words I decided to go into her Algebra 2 class and prove her wrong which in result I was getting A’s and B’s and passed it. Another instance back in middle school I was put into a class for people who needed extra help in math because I had just come from a predominantly black and brown school and they told me that they felt I was underqualified. Being in this class I was the smartest and had passed a test that allowed me to get out of it the next semester. Taking these experiences really made me realize that these people kept trying to bring me down but all I did was prove them wrong time and time again. I cannot thank you enough for being the person who made me realize my worth and continue to go into a field that I do in fact have the ability and mind for. I hope this letter finds you well and that I hope just like you I can inspire colored individuals around the world to pursue their true passion.

Dear Miss Maya Angelou,
You were an accomplished dancer, civil rights activist, poet, singer, director, and a Black woman. But at the end of the day, you bled, you breathed, you weren’t perfect, merely a human being. But please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. I won’t stop appreciating your work because of your flaws. I won’t stop being in awe of how you raw bared all your soul in your art.

I have always enjoyed writing, but you inspired me to write real poetry. I technically wrote poems before I read yours, but, to me, they were just jumbled up words in my mind or on a sheet. Not neat, they didn’t have a solid meter or beat. You see, after hearing about you, I yearned to embody your spirit and be somebody. It was unfortunate to find out that when you were little, just a small child, they shut you up and made you fall silent. After a while, you realized that you could rise. I’m beyond grateful that you did not keep quiet. It did not fit you and wasn’t your style.

Growing up, I only learned about amazing people like Rosa Parks and Doctor King, but never heard about why the caged bird sings. I never saw many Black girls like me who loved to write and read. To sit under a tree while quietly, giggling with glee as words on a simple piece of paper transported me to places I never thought I’d see. To calm down my laughs so I can carefully draft and craft words, being serious about placing them where I need them to be. To command my hand and demand it to expand on how Black people have been slammed by this supposed land of the free. The way I can write and make other people see is because of your might and how you continued to fight despite people saying it wasn’t right. By reciting your poems, you shone a light on people whose skin is not bright so we could be heard. Words that you spoke and wrote did not even seem like words at all. No, you paint a picture so vivid it feels like I’m living it. It’s so grand and majestic that it captivated my mind for years. Every time I lay my eyes on it, I see something different without trying, another interpretation of something I’ve seen over many days and plenty of nights.

I am ending this letter without meter and rhyme to tell you that your eloquent way of speaking and your precious smile remind me of my grandmother. Though neither of you is here to read this, I hope you know that you will be missed dearly, but your legacies live on through your words, the people you touched, and the accomplishments you earned. Thank you are two words, a phrase often used without sincerity, that cannot even begin to describe my gratitude. But thank you so much for showing me how to use my voice, navigate this crazy world, and be a strong, Black woman.