Black History Month
By Nick Kawano
Every February, Americans in retrospect think about how far this country has come when it comes to racism and The Civil Rights Movements. Black History Month is when we pay our respects to legends such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, and many others.
I remember when my father would always tell me the stories about Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus, Jackie Robinson changing the game of baseball by being the first negro player to ever play Major League Baseball, and of course, the famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Being a young college student makes me feel very blessed and fortunate that I have not been exposed to as much racism. I couldn’t imagine watching people being harassed because of the color their skin. The fact that black women and men had to use different restrooms, drink from different water fountains, and go to different schools is crazy to think about. Now in today’s world, we pay homage to the men and women that dealt with a lot of adversity to make the world a better place.
Walking around the TC dorms at Taft College, I asked people I’ve never met about their opinion of Black History Month. Whyhella Haley said, “I’m very thankful for all of the brave men and women that risked their lives to help better this country and make everyone equal. It’s not about what color of skin you have, it’s about what kind of person you make yourself out to be and that’s the most important thing.”
Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other Countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history. February 24th and 25th, Taft College celebrated Black History Month with a quiz about black history and a “Taste of Soul” cooking lesson.
Whyhella Haley at Black History celebration