February holds importance to African Americans all over the country.
The month commemorates Black History Month, honoring and remembering African American achievements from slavery to now.
“The main idea of BHM is to understand why Blacks are important to this country and to further accept who we are as a race,” said Michael Tyson, the President of Edison High School’s Black Student Union (BSU).
Some African American history in the country is watered down, as Destiny Farley from the San Jose State University BSU noted.
“Malcolm X is not taught in schools due to his philosophies being the complete truth about Americans, black or white,” said Farley.
Here are some notable Black History Month facts:
- Black History Month is in February to commemorate the birthdays of African-American abolitionist Fredrick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln.
- Before Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin who did the same thing as Parks in 1955. Colvin was arrested nine times for repeatedly refusing her seat on a bus.
- Black History Month was originally called “Negro History Week” and was started by historian Carter G. Woodson in 1926.
- In 1870, Hiram Revels became the first Black man to be elected to the United States Senate. He represented the state of Mississippi.
- Madame C.J. Walker was the first black self-made millionaire in America, selling African hair care products. Her life story was turned into a biographic movie in 2020 called “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker.”
- In 1940, Hattie McDaniel was the first black performer to win an Academy Award, for portraying a slave in the movie “Gone With The Wind.”
- John Langston became the first black lawyer in the country in 1854 after passing his bar exam.
