February offers chance to celebrate notable Black Americans

By Alonzo Weston

Here we are again at another Black History Month. Not that it shouldn’t be a part of overall American history, where the contributions and struggles of Blacks are often left out, but the month is a chance to remember important events involving Blacks in our country.

This year’s Black History Month theme is “African Americans and the Arts.” It focuses on the impact Blacks have had on visual arts, music and other cultural movements.

People are encouraged to look up the artistic achievements of Black artists such as Jean Michel Basquiat and Alma Thomas. We are to explore Black movies and actors and actresses like Sidney Portier and Ruby Dee.

Jazz also originated in the Black community in New Orleans and gave America such musical giants as Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

We also should not ignore the contributions of local Black icons such as John Lucas, Kelsy Beshears and Charles Baker. Their stories and more are on display inside the Black Archives Museum at 3406 Frederick Ave. It showcases the heroes among us today with an annual Hall of Fame induction this year held on Feb. 29. This year’s honorees are educator Mary Brown and police officer and artist Roy Wedlow. Other related activities will take place at area high schools and the Bartlett Center.

Some people ask why we need a Black History Month. Well, it’s because our history is often omitted from American history. Black History Month grew from Black History Week and was the brainchild of famous historian Carter G. Woodson.

Woodson chose the month of February to honor two men, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, whose birthdays are in February and who both played major roles in Black History.

Other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.

It was President Gerald Ford who officially recognized Black History Month in 1976. He called upon all Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

I encourage everyone to visit the Black Archives and take this month to learn about and explore Black history in our country and our community.