In 1976, February was officially recognized as Black History Month by former President Gerald Ford. It was not until 1986 that Congress formally designated February as Black History Month.
At the time of the recognition by Former President Ford, he wanted to do a good deed for the Black and African American population, saying he wanted to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
There are so many events and accomplishments that Black students should know, like Jesse Jackson, who ran for president in 1984 and 1988, which not only shocked black voters but also increased their political involvement. Or the story of Shirley Chisholm, a former United States Representative and the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1968, who later became the first Black woman to run for president in 1972. And Garrett Morgan, the man who innovated the three-light traffic signal.
Inspirational stories like the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the “Six Triple Eight,” which was a predominantly Black and multi-ethnic battalion of the U.S. Women’s Army Corps. They managed postal services during World War II while being led by Major Charity Adams. They encountered many challenges like defunding, threats of being shut down, and the biggest challenge of all, when the soldiers were no longer receiving their mail and could not be located. The Six Triple Eight conquered every obstacle that stood in their way and delivered mail to the soldiers overseas, uplifting the spirits of the soldiers.
There are so many more stories other than the popular Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and during this month, every historical figure should be honored and recognized like Dr. King and Rosa Parks. Black History Month is more than just a name or a point in history; it is a time when a culture full of sacrifices is honored and remembered. This is a time when black people are especially proud of where they came from and recognize what their people had to go through to get to where they are.
Happy Black History Month! Let your story, like the ones before, be told.
