By PAMELA CERROS, Ranger Reporter:
Throughout the month of February, Amarillo College students celebrated Black History Month. The college held a lunch and learn series to highlight stories of former students and come together to appreciate those who fought for equality.
“It’s time for me to remember those who have done great things to create the rights of black people,” Mugisha Aime, a mechanical engineering major, said.
Students noted increased awareness of human rights, including civil rights legislation, as a marker of societal change.
“I feel it is special because it is a remembrance of how far we have come to getting everyone together in one room regardless of skin color,” Alyssa Flores, a biology major, said.
Adviser Melodie Graves coordinated the monthlong celebration of black history and culture. “I think it is important to know where you have been to know what you are capable of making it through,” she said.
A careful study of black history and the struggle for civil rights should impart lessons to those in power, as well as each person in American society, Graves said.
“I think that we have made a lot of strides. Unfortunately I feel we still have a long way to go. The current society right now is taking some steps backward. We need to make sure to know our history so we don’t repeat the things that have happened in our history,” Graves said.
Aime has a positive view of Black History Month. “I can’t tell what the future holds for black people,”Aime said. “This month is a time when I celebrate the people of African descent who have helped make the world the amazing place that it is today.”
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