With Black History Month nearing its end for 2011, it is easy to forget the African American men and women who fought for equality.
Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, and Maya Angelou were a few of the many to take action and stand up for their beliefs. Their actions, big and small, were ignited by the desire to be treated like their white counterparts.
TCNJ’s Black Student Union (BSU) holds events every February to remind the campus of the brave men and women who changed America. This year, the union hosted Black History Month trivia, soul food night, a bus trip to see the play R.A.C.E, and keynote speaker Reggie Walker, who discussed the value of black culture.
Walker said that although this month is important, black history should be celebrated every day.
“To me, black history means everything,” he said.
Walker’s presentation, “Culture as a tool of Empowerment” discussed how disconnected African Americans are to their culture. He said it has not passed down through generations because the culture was taken away through slavery, education, and media.
Although African Americans are not segregated from whites anymore, there is still inequality and racism mostly due to how media and education has created the view of African Americans. Walker wants everyone to understand black culture and remember the struggles that their forefathers endured for freedom.
We are all taught black history in school, but so much is left out. We don’t learn about Black Wall Street, which was a community in Tulsa, Oklahoma where wealthy and successful African Americans lived until white supremacists torched and destroyed the community. This is just one example of how black history is omitted in school systems.
Walker discussed how media has distorted the images of African American culture by associating music genres like hip-hop and rap into mainstream music. He said these genres were ways for blacks to express themselves, but songs like “99 Problems” by Jay-Z are misinterpretations of the culture.
Walker’s presentation reached students from every culture. He discussed the importance of knowing your culture in order to know yourself. Walker’s seminar is not the end of BSU’s commemoration of Black History Month.
They are hosting “Platanos and Collard Greens,” a romantic comedy play, with Union Latina and a closing ceremony on Feb. 26 in room 202 in the STUD at 7 p.m, so there are plenty of chances to still commemorate the month.