Black History Month has just come to a close, and the question has come: why do we celebrate Black History Month? Black History Month occurs during the month of February. It was chosen to be celebrated during February because it was the month during Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday, and  Frederick Douglass’s Birthday and they both were prominent figures during the abolition of slavery. 

But the question comes again: why is black history month celebrated? Well, Black History Month is celebrated to commemorate African-American figures who have contributed to History. Some notable names are Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela,  Jackie Robinson, and much more. We also celebrate Black History month to commemorate the rich cultures of African-Americans.

We also asked what makes Black History Month important to Glasgow Students. We asked Lidia Eyob, an 8th grader at Glasgow, to tell us more! She said that, “Black History Month is important to me because it reminds me of what people of my color did back then in times where they were discriminated against. I’m black so that means a lot to me” Lidia also told us about one of the many African-Americans who inspire her. She said, “One african-american figure that inspires me is Barack Obama because he was the first black president and it shows black people can do anything”

Some Glasgow Students also shared who inspires them. Norah Wachs, a 7th grader,  shared that, “Marsha P. Johnson is inspirational to me because she was an activist for trans rights amidst all the oppression she had to go through and I think that’s really cool.” Another Glasgow Student, Stephanie Claros, an 8th grader. shared that, “Rosa Parks inspires me because of their bravery. This person is important because she made a great impact in history.”

What did you do to celebrate Black History Month? Tell us in the comments!