Every year since 1976, the month of February has been dedicated towards African Americans and paying tribute towards their accomplishments and hard-earned battles throughout history. In 1926, President Woodrow Woodson instituted “Negro History Week,” which began on Feb. 7. The purpose of this week was to raise awareness of Black history. The second week of February was later chosen for the dedication as the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, important figures in the Civil Rights Movement, coincided on this week. Later on in 1976, President Ford declared that instead of one week in February, Black history would be celebrated and remembered for the whole month. 

Each year Black History Month (BMH) has a theme which allows for Americans all over the nation to learn specific facts and details of Black history. The theme of this year is Black Resistance, which is focused on historic and ongoing oppression. The Association for the study of African American Life and History (ASALH) determines the theme each year, with the American president of the time endorsing the theme. Black Americans have had to preserve and fight everyday for simple freedoms. They have had to sacrifice their lives to fight the injustice. Those who have faced racial terror, racial pogroms, police killings, and more. This month Americans around the nation will honor their hard work and dedication towards freedom. The White House has a wonderful definition of BHM, stating that it is “both a celebration and powerful reminder that Black History is American History.” 

BHM serves as a reminder of our country’s faults and how we must continue to move forward and not make the same mistakes. It also reminds Americans of the country’s growth and how we must continue to make progress towards the better. It reminds us that the struggles of Black Americans around the nation are not over, and we as a country must strive to protect and fight for the rights of our fellow Americans.

Students around Seminole High School (SHS) are also celebrating and remembering BHM in their own ways. SHS sophomore Alex Rendon says, “To me BHM means a celebration of life, culture, and heritage. It gives us time to reflect on how far we’ve come as a society and give special recognition to the achievements completed by the black community. Throughout history there have been repeated attempts to erase black history and I feel that with the creation of BHM we can stop those attempts and instead shed more light on the importance of Black history. In the end it is our history, our American history. And it is just as relevant as any other historical event. 

Rendon goes on to discuss the actions of the Black Student Union (BSU) at SHS, which operates to portray and recognize  Black History in our school and local community. Right now, they are planning their BHM talent show.

“Our BHM show will be Sanford-themed this year. We are celebrating the extensive Black history present in Sanford that often gets overlooked. As far as planning BSU has already begun. We take more than a month into planning and organizing the event. Every BSU member has a role whether it’s helping with staging or being in the show itself if wanted. For everyone else, we are accepting anyone who has a talent to show, regardless of if they’re in BSU or not. We have a preview showing on 9GC on the 24th of February and the actual full show will be open to everyone on February 25th in the KWC auditorium,” she expresses.

Rendon encourages anyone that has questions regarding the BHM show or BSU in general to please reach out. She encourages everyone to come to the show: “If you do not want to participate please consider coming to the show and watching anyways. Bring your friends, it’ll be fun!” 

Adding on to the discussion regarding Black History Month, another student at SHS, who wishes to remain anonymous, says: “Black History Month allows for everyone to come out of their bubbles and learn how hard people fought to get basic rights. In history we always learn about our founding fathers and the American Revolution but in the month of February, we as a nation recognize that our ‘heros’ of the American Revolution made mistakes. They fought hard for only white rights and it took too long before basic rights were given to blacks. Black History Month also shows us that even though we have come a long way there is still a long way to go.” 

This student could not be more right. Even though the U.S. and other countries have been more progressive, there is still a long way ahead of us. Each and everyone of us, no matter the race, must continue to strive to give rights to all. The fight for rights for African Americans did not end at the Civil War, but continues each and every day. It is up to us, the future leaders of the world, to take a stand and continue fighting.