The Roots of Black History Month

​By Kermarie Principe Caceres
 
East High specializes in making all races feel included. The school is having its annual Black History Month assembly on Tuesday, February 26th, where people dance to their roots songs, they write and recite poems and so much more!
Black History Month is one of the most honorable nationwide celebrations. It recognize the history of the African Americans who fought and protested for a new world, significantly for America for all races, skin colors and cultures. The precursor of Black History Month is “Negro History Week” launched by Dr. Carter G Woodson. There are numerous past contributors that made significant changes in sciences and medicine, laws and politics, sports, entertainment and arts that are famously known today, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Muhammad Ali, W.E.B. Du Bois and Malcolm X. These are only few of the many contributors who bravely stood up to unfairness and racism. Presently, there’s President Barack Obama who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. He also along with other long influencers encourage different kinds of people to stand up to racially unjust laws and to expand diversity.
There were influencers who protested nonviolently when others wanted to get their rightful political and social freedom by “any means necessary.” For example Malcolm X wanted to act violently because he thought it was going to have a faster result but Martin Luther King Jr. thought that protesting nonviolently would be more effective and that’s why they disagreed on how to get “equal rights.” They were people choosing how they wanted to make a change.
Black History Month is a celebration during which people remember their loved ones, ancestors and African American freedom right influencers. The month is meant to pay a tribute to them, who struggle with adversity to achieve a goal for themselves and others.