Written by | Tashana Smith |
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and the time for recognizing the central role of African-Americans in U.S. history. Since 1976, every U.S president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, also have devoted a month to celebrating black history.
The story of Black History Month began in 1915, about half a century after the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area throughout our history.”
Amarillo College students who were interviewed said racial harmony is important. “I think that it’s important for everyone to get along and that everyone should just love each other,” said Stacy Rodriguez, a nursing major. “ Education major Brittany Torres said, “I think it’s important that everyone should be treated equally regardless of color or race.”
Nakeasha Ward, a criminal justice major, said, “I think diversity is important because it helps to shape and mold our world. It really plays an important role in the younger generation, whether it’s just other children or the children in our family.
“We all bring our own uniqueness to the world, so we can learn different things from different people.” One student said she believes the relationship between races has deteriorated.
“I feel like there’s been a lot of racial tension lately coming up in the world,” said Tamika Brashears, a nurse practitioner major. “It’s been like that since Obama has become president, and it has gotten worse. It has gotten even worse since they banned the use of the Confederate flag.”
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