BY: Jayla Brown
February is here! Yes, it means it is the month of love, but it also means it is officially Black History Month. What used to be known as Negro History Week is now a whole month dedicated to honoring and celebrating Black people and our history— remembering the past and looking toward the future. February is a month of celebrating trailblazers such as Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first Black professional nurse, and Martin Luther King Jr., minister and civil-rights activist, along with many other historical figures.
Searching for a way to celebrate Black History Month this year? Here are a few ideas!
- Visit a museum. Visiting museums is a great way to show honor to the many amazing contributions of Black people to American history. Montgomery has many museums like the Legacy Museum, the Rosa Parks Museum and the Freedom Rides Museum.
Not in Montgomery? Here is a list of Black history museums around the U.S.
- Support Black-owned businesses. Montgomery is home to a plethora of Black-owned businesses. We also are home to some of the oldest Black-owned restaurants. You can show your support by visiting, promoting, purchasing or telling a friend.
- Watch a movie/documentary about Black history. We are in a time where legendary and inspiring movies about Black history are at our fingertips (literally). Movies like “Hidden Figures”, “42” or “Redtails”. Several streaming services have devoted sections for easy viewer access.
- Reflect and educate yourself. Celebrating Black History Month is really all about reflection and honor. It’s a time to show respect to Black people who have fought and continue to fight for Black people in America today. With reflection comes education. Much of Black history is not taught in school today. With Google at our fingertips, it is easy to learn something new every day.
- Read a book. Become a bookworm this month. Whether you prefer to travel to your favorite book store or go to Amazon, there are thousands of books about Black history you should read this year. Here are a few:
- “1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History”
- “Black People Invented Everything”
- “Teaching Black History to White People”
- “Henry’s Freedom Box”
“Education is the most powerful which you can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela