Remembering Black History Month
By Zach Roozendaal
(Photo Credit: Creative Commons. Martin Luther King Jr. June 30 1964)
The following is an article I did in honour of Black History Month 4 years ago while as part of the Journalism Team at Neelin High School. I dedicate this article to my late Grandfather Ralph Lambert (my Papa) and I know he’s smiling from heaven, long after he passed away in January 2004. I also dedicate this to the late Chadwick Boseman, who played the influential Marvel superhero Black Panther, as well as myself, as this is the last article I’ll be submitting before I turn 20 on the 27th of February.
Thank you Brandon University Students and everyone else for making the first 20 years so influential, and I hope the next 20 are just as incredible.
February. The shortest month of the year, with 28 or 29 days, often remembered for being the same month as Groundhog Day, Louis Riel Day, my birthday, and most of all Valentine’s Day. However, most people forget about the significance of February. It’s Black History Month. A month dedicated to notable figures in the black community. It’s one of the few things that hasn’t been commercialized, and that’s probably why most people forget about it.
So, let’s talk about it.
Black History Month is an important time, not just for African Americans, but for all Black people. There have been a lot of people who have broken the racial barrier to make our society diverse. Some of those people include Rosa parks, who refused to give up her seat on a bus when a white man told her to move, and she was arrested for it. Here in Canada, segregation laws were also present. But people protested them here as well. Viola Desmond, also know as Canada’s Rosa Parks, was attending a film at a movie theater in Nova Scotia, when she went and sat in the whites only section, which infuriated a white woman and the security guard who was on duty. She refused to leave, and left the that theater in handcuffs. There was also Harriet Tubman, who helped operate the Underground Railroad. And Barrack Obama, who became the first Black President of The United States. There was also Nelson Mandela, who during the Apartheid, fought for the rights of Black people, and was imprisoned, only to end up as the first Black President of South Africa. Gandhi was another historical figure that we remember during Black History Month. He stood up to British power and would lead India to freedom. Sadly, he was assassinated, but his efforts went on to inspire Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was known for his “I Have a Dream” speech and was also arrested for trying to protest segregation laws. In a similar way to Gandhi, he was eventually assassinated for protesting. But it was partially thanks to his efforts that segregation laws were overturned. Jackie Robinson is another notable figure, as he became the first Black Major League Baseball player. There was also another notable figure who was not only black, but had a mental disability, named Robert “Radio” Kennedy who helped lead his high school football team to victory, with help of his good friend, and the team’s coach, Harold Jones, who Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris would later portray in the film, Radio. Fictional heroes also broke boundaries. Walter Jones was the first black live action super hero on TV, portraying Zach Taylor the Black Power Ranger on Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.
The Black Community also had a large impact on the music industry, with rap, hip-hop and pop being created. Musicians like Michael Jackson and Prince would redefine music as we know it.
There’s more than that, there’s even a personal connection as well. My Mom’s aunt became the first Black employee at the Pentagon. Here in Brandon even, racial boundaries were broken, with my Grandma and her husband having an interracial family. I am proud of my heritage, seeing my Mom’s graduation photo at school, since seeing her photo reminds me of the diversity in our society. So don’t forget talk about this event, since it’s significant. We all know at least 1 or more people who are black, whether they are friends, family, neighbours, coworkers, or employees, so keep them in mind this month.
As always, be good, thank you for everything, social distance and where a mask when possible, and please be safe. See you all later, I’ll catch up with you in the next issue. Until next time, I’m Zach Roozendaal. Take care, God bless and stay safe and well wishes to you and your peers and families.
-Zach Roozendaal.