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Written by Wenona Majette, Bailey Mines, Malachi Wilson, and Sam P.K. Collins
Every February, Black people across the United States celebrate Black History Month as a means of reflecting on the struggles, trials, and tribulations people of African descent have endured.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, some people have opted out of celebrating Black History Month out of worry about keeping their jobs, feeding their families, and finishing school. However, some young people, like Reena John, feel differently.
“Of course I am celebrating Black History Month; it’s my history and my ancestors,” said Reena, a 14-year-old Bowie, Maryland resident.
Reena, a track-and-field star from Grenada, said she’s celebrating Black History Month by researching African- American historical figures, reading books, and heavily engaging in her school’s virtual activities. She told TheWatotoSpeak.com that she enjoys learning new information, and feels that it’s imperative to celebrate Black history when so many people remain uneducated.
“Without African Americans, we would have been lacking many great inventions that we depend on every day, like the stoplight, the clock, clothes dryer, heating furnace, the gas mask, and many other items,” Reena said.
“The world needs Black people [and] the world was not meant to be without Black people,” she continued. “To know that a lot of Black people do not know about their own history is embarrassing.”
Black History Month and Quarantine
Throughout February, public officials and activists emphasized the greater significance of Black History Month during a pandemic that’s disproportionately affecting people of African descent. In Tennessee, State Representative London Lamar hosted a discussion series about that very subject. Meanwhile, reporters for sports news site The Undefeated emphasized the need for Black history lessons at home, where families experiencing quarantine could grow closer.
For Amiyah R. Glenn of Atlanta, every month is Black History Month in her household. She told TheWatotoSpeak.com that her family subscribes to the belief that Black people deserve daily recognition, especially given their societal contributions.
By learning about Black history, Amiyah intends to one day make her mark.
In her household, Amiyah, 13, celebrates Black History Month by researching changemakers and freedom fighters, including Ruby Bridges, the young student who integrated Louisiana Public Schools in the 1950s. Amiyah said she watched a movie about Bridges, and later immersed herself in Civil Rights history with a viewing of the 2014 film Selma that highlighted the work of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
“Black History Month is a time set aside to celebrate the great things our people have done,” Amiyah said. “Black History shouldn’t only be learned during the month of February, but our heritage should be learned everyday.”
Studying and Performing Black History
Simone Evelyn Wilson, a 12-year-old from Prince George’s County, Md., echoed Amiyah’s sentiments.
During the first half of Black History Month, Simone performed the South African dance of Gumboot with the Taratibu Youth Association. Simone also performed a rap titled “Black Made That” centering on how Black people created materials used daily around the world.
This month, Simone intends to continue honoring and acknowledging author-activist James Baldwin and Civil Rights activist Rosa Parks, among several other figures.
“We are striving to change other people’s mindsets, and change their outlook on this country and Black people in it,” Simone told TheWatotoSpeak.com. “It’s more than just a celebration of Black people. It’s a celebration of our legacy. We should remember why it’s important.”
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