BY: Alecia Hicks
In 1970, Black History Day changed from a single day of celebration to an entire month. Now, Americans have the opportunity to dedicate a month filled with remembrance for the brave men and women who endured many years of slavery and persecution to fight for a better country that upholds its constitution declaring that every citizen is “free,” despite skin color, sexual preference, ethnicity, or background.
Montgomery, Ala. is known as an important city because of its location during the slave trade and Civil Rights Era. Martin Luther King Jr.’s church can be found on Dexter Avenue in Downtown Montgomery. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was held in 1956 following the incident involving Rosa Parks. The march from Selma to Alabama’s capital in Downtown Montgomery and many other significant happenings make Montgomery one of the most interesting and historically rich places to learn about why Black History Month is so important in the progression of justice and equality.
If you are interested in learning more about Montgomery and the history of racism in this country, there are quite a few resources in the city to look into. A great place to start is the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), which is a non-profit human rights organization founded by Bryan Stevenson. EJI has a museum and memorial in Downtown Montgomery with tons of historical facts and monuments. More information on EJI can be found on their website. Another resource is the Montgomery U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Their website highlights many different things to do around the city in relation to the Civil Rights Movement.
Although Black History Month is only a month long, the sad yet empowering history of African-Americans should be studied and respected every single day. Coming face-to-face with the harsh truths of America’s past is the only way to fight the ugliness of racism that is still prevalent in America today. In order to find real equality, the deeply ingrained generational hatred and prejudice towards people of color must be uprooted with truth and change.