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Let's Make History This Month

By Lisa Callender
Black College Wire

Civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks receiving a Congressional Proclamation at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.

When I anticipate February’s arrival, I am eager to engage in fruitful discussions of what Black History Month was really set aside for, and how black history and culture have changed.

Unfortunately, February has become disappointing. There are no worthwhile discussions, there is no leeway for expression, and most people simply attend events for social reasons.

When did the idea of paying homage to our ancestors and present leaders change into a gateway for social advancement? When did a tribute to fallen soldiers become a medium for promoting parties and social networking?

I sincerely hope that we have not forgotten the struggle. The marches on the Martin Luther King holiday weren’t all in celebration. Believe it or not, there were also marches against the holiday, against the struggle and the movement that he died trying to facilitate.

Maybe you didn't read about the five white supremacists in York, Pa., who marched this year in opposition to King Day, in memory of a white police officer killed during the city's race riots in 1969.

Yes, some attempt to use the month to create events that pay tribute and show remembrance to those who came before. But when will we use these opportunities for more in-depth commemoration? I already know the dates of the Civil War, the speeches of Malcolm X, and the struggle of Rosa Parks. I learned about Booker T. Washington, Langston Hughes and Phillis Wheatley.

But let us try to enter the minds of these political and social heroes. Why not make use of the opportunities that they were not allowed to have? Let's crack open those books and other resources and find out what drove their desires to step into those dangerous waters.

What dreams allowed Dr. King to sacrifice his life in the name of nonviolence? What thoughts urged Rosa Parks to stay in that seat? What muses helped Paul Laurence Dunbar fearlessly analyze the identity of his people?

I believe that deep down inside, we all would like to know more. We all wish for the determination and dedication that these people and others had.

Everyone seeks a mentor who has already walked down the path that we wish to follow. February is the month that we should use to search for that mentor. Let's not waste those nationally recognized 28 days that our ancestors fought so hard to obtain. Let's make history in celebrating black history.

Lisa Callender is a senior English major at Hampton University who writes for The Spokesman.