HISTORY is the key to understanding why certain things are the way they are now. For future historians and anyone planning to major in history, this is important. February is Black History Month and many students look forward to learning about their ethnic past and how they became who they are today.

The origin of Black History Month goes back to 1915, when Harvard-trained Carter G. Woodson founded the ASNLH, which is short for the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.

Some students feel upset because it is not being covered or even mentioned in their history classes.

“I feel like we talk more about wars instead, and it makes me upset because this is important for us,” Kevin Mahoney (10) said.

In 1926, the association sponsored the second week of February to be a national Black History Week.

This carried on until 1976, when it was changed by President Gerald R. Ford, who designated the whole month of February to be Black History Month, but it is not in each high school’s curriculum, and that fact upsets many students.

No other national history months are listed in the curriculum either, such as Women’s History Month in March or American Indian History Month in November.

The most effective way to spread awareness is for students to research black history and share it with their friends. Black History Month not being covered does not stop these students from being proud. “ I am proud to have a whole month dedicated to our history, I am thankful for it,” Joelen Bailey (12) said.

The most commonly heard topics during this month are Martin Luther King Jr., segregation and, recently, former president Barack Obama.

There are many ways to celebrate Black History Month and they are great. For example, conducting a read aloud of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream Speech” is a great way to learn and celebrate one of the biggest events in the history of the United States of America.

Another way to celebrate can be to binge Netflix documentaries like The Black Jacket or Barry. The ways to celebrate are endless.

Some students are still hopeful that they might go over it in school during this month. “We haven’t really covered much about African-Americans, but maybe in February it will be taught briefly,” Salah Issa (11) said.

It is a month of celebration for black history, but some students feel like it is commonly ignored. It could be because it was not put into the teaching curriculum. Whatever the reason is, it is still important to African-American students.

All history is history that needs to be shared. Even if it is not listed in the curriculum, students should find a way to share it, because students of Granger have a duty to come together because of their diversity. Take time to celebrate black history throughout the month of February.