Since 1976, the United States and Canada have recognized February as Black History Month. The idea to dedicate time to the contributions of African Americans was originated in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. His vision was to increase the awareness of people and communities to the significant additions African Americans have made to the overall history of the United States.
His vision has grown since 1926 to include an entire month where elementary, junior high and high school students take time to learn about notable figures and accomplishments of African Americans.
Black History Month’s annual celebration has come with its fair share of criticism. From questioning the need to dedicate an entire month to a single race to complaints about the month chosen being the shortest month of the year, the opinions are as varied as they can be outlandish.
Regardless, the idea to educate ourselves about the historical influence countless African Americans have had on our country and communities is with merit. It is a time to dig past the dates and names to attempt to put you in the shoes of race of people who have struggled to gain an equal footing in the United States.
Without Black History Month we may be familiar but not as cognizant of the incredible feats of Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, or Maya Angelou. The contributions African Americans have made to the fabric of the United States are without question.
Throughout the history of the United States which African Americans have inspired you and why? The person you choose can be as recent as Tiger Woods or as old as Frederick Douglas. They person can be real or fictional. Which stories resonate with you? For example, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, or Ruby Bridges.
Sophia- (first!! sorry Luke)
ReplyDeleteRuby Bridges really inspires me. She was a little 1st grader going to a new school, which is hard as it is, but then there were people yelling at her and saying awful things to her just because of the color of her skin. She inspires me because even though all this horrible stuff was happening to her, and even though she was the only kid in her class, she still walked with confidence into her school, and most importantly, she prayed for them. I don't know if I would be able to do that. I would probably pray for them to stop but I don't think I would be able to pray for God to forgive them. A little first grader looking beyond their meaness is amazing to me. I truly look up to her.
Ann- I agree with Sophia, ruby bridges inspires me, she was so young and she went to a new school were she was hated just because of her skin. She received death threats and went through other horrible experiences that nobody so young should have to go through. If I was in her shoes,I probably wouldn't have had the courage to go through with it.
ReplyDeleteAbby- I agree with Sophia and Ann. Ruby Bridges was so brave and stood up for what she believed in at a very young age. She was one of the first African American children to go to an all-white school. She was only six when she had to deal with the suffering and torture from people who thought she did not belong. If I was her I would have probably given up but she stuck through it and made a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteAriana - I agree with all of the three above, Ruby bridges was a truly amazing young girl and she stood firm in what she believed at all times. She was incredibly brave and incredibly strong as well. What she did inspired hundreds of other African Americans to try and fit in with other whites. I believe that what she did changed a lot that was going on back then. The fact that she was so young to experience what she did and be brave about it makes her that much more amazing.
ReplyDeleteLuke- I do agree with the comments above. Ruby Bridges was a strong little girl that made a huge difference! She made a tremendous difference in her time. Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. are people that really made a difference and said to the world that we shouldn't be segregated. These people have courage like on one else and i think that it is amazing to know that people just about 60 years ago people hated other people just because of the color of there skin.
ReplyDeleteHalle- Definitely Ruby Bridges but i also admire Rosa Parks. She was just tired of everything and didn't want to give up her seat on the bus. It wasn't like she was trying to rebel or start something amazing, she simply just didn't want to give up her seat on the bus. I think it takes a lot of courage to do the thing these people did. I would never think of doing anything like that and i admire them for that. Like luke said Martin Luther King Jr. really made a difference too. All these people believed that we are all equal, and we are. They are on of our unalienable rights that were given to us by God, and they cannot ever be taken away from us.
ReplyDeletePeter- Martin Luther King Jr. and James McLurkin ( ahuge staple in the computer science world) really inspire me. Tiger Woods and Malfoy's friend from HP 7-2 do not inspire me. A story of an African American that really inspires me is the one we are reading right now, Frederick Douglas. It is cool how he was a slave but then made a boat-load of money by writing a book.
ReplyDeleteCristina- Ruby Bridges! She is so brave and had alot of courage to do what is right. i remember when we watch the video in 7th grade and the white mom had a black baby doll in a coffin! that scares me! im really glad what she did. there ar eso many black people who made a difference and i think its great. Jackie Robinson made a big differnece in badeball, mlkj adn rosa parks made a difference in segregation adn halle barry made a differnce when she was the first black to win a oscar wich is impressive!
ReplyDeletegabby- there has been many inspiring african american people that have really make a difference in american like martin luther king or rosa parks. but i agree with cristina about ruby bridges. she was a african american child, who was sent to a white school during a time of segregation. she would have to have so much courage from just a child. many whites parents were very upset and made many threats against ruby and her family. you have to be so brave to to go through what she went through.
ReplyDeleteRyan- There has been a lot of inspiring African American's that have really impressed me and i am very inspired buy those people that took the field or the court didn't mind the racists comments and they just kept playing the sport. i really like how most of them were later liked and then put into the hall of fame. i think that my person that i really like is Michael Jordan. He is an inspiring guy. ya maybe he wasn't really trying to fight for anything but he goes to show you that anyone can play basketball and so what if your coach cuts you from the high-school team he still made it into college to play at North Carolina and then went on to play in the NBA
ReplyDeleteNerea- i agree with sophia. Ruby Bridges is an inspiration to all of us. She told the world that it doesnt madder how old you are you can always make a difference.
ReplyDeleteMadison- The most inspiring African American's to me have been Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, and Ruby Bridges. Rosa Parks showed that she was so determined to not be segregated that she was willing to go to jail, even though she was sitting in the black section. Harriet Tubman was just inspiring because she lead all of those slaves to freedom! Ruby Bridges was just another student like us that wanted to have an education. Without all these people standing out and basically rebelling, America wouldn't be where it is today.
ReplyDeleteMarya- the most inspiring African American to me is Ruby Bridges. She just wanted a regular education, and she didn't let anything or anyone get in her way. She was scared at times, but who wouldn't be? in the movie, she is the only girl in her class because everyone left. That would be so hard on your self esteem and it probably made her feel like dirt. Everyday people would cuss at her or show her terrible things. She stopped and prayed for them. That takes A LOT of courage and guts to do something like that. she is truly an inspiration to me and people all over the world.
ReplyDeletejosu- i think that Jackie Robinson is one of the most inspiring African Americans that i have heard of. His story is so inspiring because of what he had to go through. he played in a league where he was the only one of his kind and everyone else was against him. He proved a point without saying any harmful or cruel words. He made a huge point just by playing a game. In the end fans will always want their team to win no matter who is on them. He took advantage of a great opportunity to make a great change.
ReplyDeleteAngie- Ruby Bridges has always inspired me ever since I was little. She was only a little girl when she went through all of that. She's is so strong being able to go to school and she even still prayed for the people who were so horrible to them. The people shouted at her but she still stayed strong and continued to go through school. Ruby didn't let anything stop her from getting her education. She showed the whole nation to never give up. She taught us all a very valuable lesson and she will never be forgotten.
ReplyDeletePhillip - Rosa Parks Inspired me because she was just a normal person that didn’t do annything too big but impacted a bunch of people just by refusing to move. Her story is really deep set in my mind.
ReplyDeleteAtticus- I think that Martin Luther King Jr. was verry braave and i consider him a great man and verry brave. There is many reasons that I think that he is this way but one of the most prominit reasons is that he got up infront of billions of people(on tv and in dc) and talked about things that he knew that he might be killed for. He tought us to stand up for things that we think that are of importances no madder the concequences. This croagous man has done somthing to the US that couldnt be changed however hard we try. This change was for the better and I am glad that Martin Luther King Jr. was introduce into this world because without him it wouldnt be the same. Thank you MLK!
ReplyDeleteJACK- ALTHOUGH THAT ALL THE BLACK PEOPLE WHO DID THEIR PART IN CHANGING OUR NATION, 2 STICK OUT TO ME THE MOST. MICHAEL JORDAN, AND JACKIE ROBINSON.MICHAEL JORDAN CHANGED THE GAME OF BASKETBALL. HE IS THE BEST PLAYER TO EVER PLAY THE GAME AND THE THINGS HE COULD DO WITH THE BALL WERE AMAZING. JACKIE ROBINSON CHANGED THE GAME OF BASEBALL. HE WAS THE FIRST NEGRO PLAYER TO EVER PLAY IN THE MLB. THAT'S HUGE AND NOW THE BEST PLAYERS IN BOTH SPORTS ARE EITHER BLACK OR AT LEAST NOT BORN IN THE U.S. THOSE TOO SHAPED THE SPORTING WORLD THAT IS TODAY.
ReplyDeleteIsabelle- I agree with a lot of people that ruby bridges was a huge inspiration. Although so were many other people, she did something that I think can connect and relate with alot people. She was starting at a new school being the only colored person there. It put alot of pressure and stress on this little girl because she went through a lot with what other people did to her. She was smart enough to know that the way she was being treated wasn't right and that she deserved better. She stood up for what she believed and I commend and look up to her for that.
ReplyDeleteCooper- Martin Luther King Jr and Jackie Robinson. Martin Luther King because he believed everybody was equal. Jackie Robinson because he was the first black professional baseball player and that was a big deal in sports. Martin Luther King Jr he changed civil rights and Jackie Robinson changed the game of baseball.
ReplyDeleteNolen-Ruby Bridges was a hug insperation to a lot of people. she went to a new school where she was the only colored person there. A lot of people did not accept her and made fun of her and all sorts of mean things just because of the color of her skin. Even though people did this she knew they were wrong and she prayed for them and that is why she is so great. She stood up for what she knew was right.
ReplyDeleteDanielle- Ruby Bridges really has inspired me because she was so brave to go into an all white school and she didn't care what people thought of her. I definetly wouldn't be brave enough to do that.It was terrible the way people treated her. She forgave them. She didn't get all mad at them instead she prayed for them. Those people were threatning to kill her but she just prayed to God to forgive them. Ruby Bridges will always be an inspirational figure.(:
ReplyDeleteAlly- Ruby Bridges has really inspired me and tons of other people too. She was an amazing young girl who had a tremendous amount of courage that really made a difference in the world. I can't think about how hard that must have been to go to a school where mostly everyone hated you because the color of your skin. This little girl had to deal with people screaming nasty things at her every day. Even though people were doing this, she stayed strong which i thing is incredible.
ReplyDeleteKaed- there has been a ton of black people over the past centuries that i admire, but i think that Martin Luther King Jr. is one of my favorite idols. One reason is because he spoke in front of tons of people and he said what he thought what was wrong and he wanted the Nation to change. I want to be like him, i want to have the courage to stand up for people.
ReplyDeleteKendall- Ruby Bridges is really an inspiration to me. She went into a school and was despised because of the color of her skin. I cant even imagine going to a school where everyone hated you. She was so courageous and brave. She teaches not only me but many other people to not care what other people think and to do what is right for you!
ReplyDeleteZach Martin Luther King Jr. probaly is the most inspiring to me. He showed that the peolpe who called his race was inferior that they were wrong, he used peace and unity to obtain the rights african americans deserved. He was smart, brave, and could bring people together. that is why he inspires me.
ReplyDeleteMarcos- Michael Jordan, because i mean he is the best basketball player who ever lived. And jordan basically got basketball going. It was so exciting. Like that game he played when he had the flu. And made the most points in that game even though he was sick. He is inspiring because he made it through the game with the flu. Im suprised that he didn't vomitt on the court. One thing for sure is that he didn't let down his team. And he got 6 rings from championships he won.
ReplyDeleteBrooke~ Someone that I admire is Ruby Bridges. I can't imagine how difficult it would be for a little girl to go through such a hard and painful experience. She was so brave, and a huge inspiration, standing up like that.
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