Premium Essay

Black History Month Essay

Submitted By
Words 1152
Pages 5
Since the early history of the U.S., African-American have made great contributions in this country. And much have been applied within our daily use without any recognition of its contributors. These acknowledgments were created out of necessity. This section may not have been needed if America had initially recognized African-American contributions. They as a people living in this country needed to know that they have paid their dues as citizens, so before America paid contribute to them, they paid tribute to themselves.

Holidays are days used to commemorate some major event or to honor someone. The official U.S holidays are fixed by law and business may be suspended during that time. There are also unofficial holidays that are not traditionally …show more content…
history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history.
The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. That September, the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by African-Americans and other peoples of African descent. Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances and lectures. In the decades the followed, mayors of cities across the country began issuing yearly proclamations recognizing Negro History

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Essay On Black History Month

...Black history month is a time were we recognize people who have made contribution to our society. They wanted to come up with their own history so they can teach their kids where they came from and how their ancestors achieves lots of accomplishment. It was founded by a man name Carter G. Woodson. He had a son who was a former Virginia slave and wanted to come with something that would remember people who did great things. Black history month should remind us how these people had change the world so we won’t have to be in the same situation that they were in. This would bring everyone together because we can get pass on hating each and start loving each other. We as African- American need to take the time to teach our children the true history of our so they won’t be leading down the wrong path. There are many people that had made contribution here a few people that I think that have change the world. Martin king Jr, Malcom x, Rosa Park, Nat Turner, Booker T. Washington, and Ida B. Wells-Barnett are people who stood up for their right and didn’t want to sit back and kept going throw frustration. Nate Turner and Rosa Park are one of the most stand up people that had change the world. Nat Turner and a group of slave and free blacks went around to white owner house and start killing them by the time...

Words: 488 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Black History Month Essay

...Famous Harlem Renaissance During the early 20th century, African-American poets, musicians, actors, artists and intellectuals moved to Harlem in New York City and brought new ideas that shifted the culture forever. From approximately 1918 to the mid 1930s, talent began to overflow within this newfound culture of the black community in Harlem, as prominent figures—Langston Hughes ( The most prolific writer of the Harlem Renaissance. He casted off the influences of white poets and wrote with the rhythmic meter of blues and jazz), Claude McKay (urged African Americans to stand up for their rights in his powerful verses),Billie Holiday (Billie Holiday was one of the most influential jazz singers of all time. She had a thriving career for many years before she lost her battle with addiction), and Jean Toomer wrote plays and short stories, as well as poems, to capture the spirit of his times), to name a few—pushed art to its limit as a form of expression and representation. These are some of the famous African Americans who shaped the influential movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. During this period Harlem was a cultural center, drawing black writers, artists, musicians, photographers, poets, and scholars. In November 1924, Langston Hughes returned to the United States and worked various jobs. In 1925, he was working as a busboy in a Washington, D.C. hotel restaurant when he met American poet Vachel Lindsay. Hughes showed some of his poems to Lindsay, who was impressed...

Words: 806 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality

...Equality By Henry Ayala Today, I’m going to write about why we emphasize the learning of Black history during Black History Month and the argument against “Black History is American history”. It is an argument well said in recent times, but in my humble opinion people are viewing it from the wrong perspective. What I want you to gain from this essay is a changed perspective from Black History Month to what it actually is, Black Awareness Month. Prior to 1926, most people learned very little about the contributions of black people in American history. We learned about slavery, sure, and the underground rail road, but not so much about a broad range of important black people and their achievements and contributions and impact on our shared history. History books ignored a lot of things for various reasons, and the reasons behind ignoring the contributions of black people in American history were pretty obvious when you look at our culture and history up until at least the 1960s. So the point of it was to establish the legacy of a beaten race in their rightful places in the pages of history books and in the national dialogue of American history. A more thorough and detailed picture of the past is a good thing in terms of figuring out how we got to where we are now, not a harmful thing. Not many people realize that learning about Black history is an ongoing process of rehabilitation of the Black psyche. As an enslaved race they had been destroyed, reduced in society to the level of...

Words: 613 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Crap

...UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE - FHEL1012 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC STUDY ACADEMIC YEAR: 2015/2015 SEMESTER: JAN 2015 TUTORIAL 2 1.0 Identifying the General Purpose of a Paragraph 1. In naval aviation, the AWACS (Airborne Early Warning Command and Control System) plane, or Hawkeye, serves as an air traffic controller, monitoring the airspace around a carrier fleet. It is responsible for surveillance of enemy aircraft and ships as well as directing helicopters to survivors and guarding against air collisions. In addition to servicing the Navy, Hawkeye planes have been used in rescue operations of civilians during hurricane evacuations. The purpose of this passage is to: A. Inform B. Persuade C. Describe 2. The pilots of the Hawkeye aircraft are the unsung heroes of naval operations. The first in and the last out, these men receive none of the glory bestowed on the Top Guns of F-18 fame. Thanks to Hollywood, fighter pilots have been glorified, but the pilots of the AWACS planes work quietly and diligently, and they deserve praise for their contributions. The purpose of this passage is to: A. Inform B. Persuade C. Describe 3. Tobacco companies have been in litigation, facing charges that their marketing practices in the past have targeted teenagers. Also, evidence indicates that companies...

Words: 1560 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Term Paper

...and saddening real stories of tribal clashes. The thesis of this paper , which is coined to be “A heart breaking history” will show touching stories that the author has used to illustrate tangible evidence of perpetration of acts against humanity, which records back to past acts which include violence, buying and selling of black men and women in what is termed as slave trade. Leonard Pitts Jr. has a great wealth of past encounters in history and therefore we find this article very relevant. He has recounted historical scenarios in this planet which include slaves that are bought and sold, mistreated and cheated, lynched and maimed. The author laments that whenever he exposed these, it was always certain to him that he would receive calls and emails of chastisement. For instance, this great poet explains that at one time a certain lady came pleading with him to stop the history behind exposing such kind of tales claiming that such stories could not be of any help except to create resentment within black people. However, he goes on to write the history of tribal clashes in Europe, United Kingdom, Germany etc. Discussion Its only by appreciating the past and getting more historical information hat someone can be be in a position to correct the errors and mistakes made before. There’s great value in recounting historical stories of this nature, because history shapes the future. We correct our future by looking back at our past mistakes. Understanding yesterday gives context...

Words: 901 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

The Path of Success

...America in the Army and forms part of the minority group of immigrants. Jennifer Carroll came to give a speech at the institution of Broward College, honoring the black history month. Carroll started her speech and gained the attention of the audience by telling some background of her early life. This woman came from Trinidad and Tobago with her parents looking for the American Dream in the United States of America. While the speaker was comparing herself with the audience, she was making a bond with them due to her explanation of how she has evolved her ambitions and achieved the position that she has in her life. The first Afro-American Lieutenant Governor and also the first woman in the position, talked about her days in the army and how that serves as an example for students that at some point in their life have to face issues that may need hard decisions. In fact Carroll used specifically a personal story to illustrate the importance of keep going and never give up. In the army, during duty, she had a friend that was pregnant and for it, the woman was afraid of telling her superiors due to the possibility of leaving her out of her job. Behind the speaker was running a presentation that she didn’t use, but had information related to the content of the speech as in the case of important dates for American history, and names of prominent figures. The only thing about the presentation is that it was distracting due to the lack of correlation with what Carroll was saying...

Words: 1022 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Fringe

...between you and your potential audience Branded beer matts and flags for pubs or high street perfromances? Could we flyer in cool pubs in different areas, and give the landlord a few free tickets so that they tell their regulars about the performances? Make sure we spend LESS than our ticket price per person to get people in the door!!! Fundraising – could we have a fundrasing option on the website? So that people who are interested in the plays and looking at the website could donate? • Mainly being that not many people are aware of BHM and what it represents • How the promotion of fringe theatre is not recognized anymore especially within younger people This is our story Intro - what s fringe theatre - what is black history month Our challenge Our insights Our solution Our creative solution Conclusion Questions INTRO As...

Words: 1617 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Fallacies Of Black History Month Summary

...In the beginning of the essay, the author identifies himself as an African American principal, creating interest, and a better understanding of the title. Identifying himself also gives the author credibility on the subject, which helps the effect of the argument before the end of the first paragraph. With his opinion clearly stated, Joseph’s reasoning becomes increasingly relevant, through the progression of the essay. Logically articulating each reason of opposition, the seventh paragraph welcomes a shifting tone of the author. In the text, Joseph believes that the basic idea of one month of black history is a joke, and believes its focus point in irrelevant. With stating his ethnicity and occupation, he tells readers how opposed he is. While telling readers how serious he is, the author simultaneously gives his credentials to further the impact of his argument. Joseph’s argument is made by logical observations, followed by logical reasoning as to why Black history month is a redundant form of teaching....

Words: 556 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Walk

...training of black pilots. As they were trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, they became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. The poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," which Hughes wrote while crossing the Mississippi, first appeared in 1921. The poem evokes African heritage, and is widely anthologized. Hughes's first collection of poems, The Weary Blues, appeared in 1926. The essay "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain," which Hughes published in 1926, was considered something of a manifesto for black writers and artists in America. In 1930 Hughes published his first novel, Not Without Laughter, and throughout the 1930s he wrote a number of plays and short stories. Langston Hughes traveled extensively, was active in radical politics, and wielded considerable literary influence until his death, in Harlem, in 1967. It is seldom argued that America’s youth does not at least somewhat benefit from having an annual Black History Month, however, several critics argue that the adult population now perceives the month of February from a different angle.[2] One question that has been raised is in regard to why the month chosen to celebrate Black history is February, which is the shortest month of the year.[3] It is argued that Black History Month has become a “ready made excuse to ignore African American history for the other 11 months of the year”, thus promoting racism. Journalists argue that by dedicating a single month of the year to black history, it provokes...

Words: 582 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Afericna American

...African American's Journey Essay Below is a free essay on "African American's Journey" from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples. “African American’s Journey to Freedom” Charity Johnson HIS204: American History since 1865 Instructor: Leslie Ruff February 11, 2013 “African American’s Journey to Freedom” To some African Americans it may seem ironic that The United States of America is known as “the land of the free” considering that majority of their ancestors entered the US as slaves. African Americans were brought to North America via the middle passage which originated during the fifteenth century.   They were enslaved for approximately 400 hundred years until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Although African Americans were enslaved in America, they were determine to survive and one day be freed in this great country. During The African American’s journey to freedom several significant events took place which was inclusive of but not limited to: The Civil Rights Movement of 1865-1877, Separate but Equal Legislation (Plessy vs. Ferguson court case) in 1896, The Harlem Renaissance of 1920, Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954, The March on Washington Movement of 1963, and The Black Power Movement of the late 1960s and 1970. I will discuss the significance of these events in relation to the African American journey to freedom and how they have help shape American society today. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF 1865-1877 Frequently when...

Words: 5251 - Pages: 22

Premium Essay

Black History Month Thesis

...February marks Black History Month, the annual celebration of historic events and achievements made by black Americans. While Black History Month is recognized in Canada and the United Kingdom, it first began in the United States in 1976. Schools everywhere have been teaching children about the Civil Rights Movement – Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X – and the events that helped America make the progress to reach that turning point, like Sojourner Truth’s work as an abolitionist and Harriet Tubman as she helped free slaves through the Underground Railroad. While these historical figures are certainly worth learning about, we gathered four lesser-known ones from our book WHO WINS?: 100 Historical Figures Go Head-to-Head and You Decide the Winner by Clay Swartz,...

Words: 770 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Essay

...Essay Section A 1. Give an outline of the different attitudes of the situation of African America. The first text “Black is being seen in a whole new light” is about Yolanda Young(YY) experiences being black. She is a female lawyer and a columnist for ‘’USA Today’’ and she has been ignored by the society for two decades until a miracle, only black people would ever dream, about happened. Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States. You can say it became a bit easier being black when the big companies now began making black dolls and the society began listening to black stars as Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell. Michelle Obama became a symbol for beauty which YY now could relate. African Americans were now met on the streets with a smile and a ‘’hello’’ from the white citizens of Washington. She writes about this experiment, where children have to choose between a black and a white doll in who is the prettier one and nearly all of them chose the white doll. In text number 2, we have Eric Holder(EH), the Attorney General of the United States, making a speech. Overall his perspective on how U.S.A. handles different human races is positive. He finds it very important that every race is welcome, and he thinks that U.S.A. has done a great integration. Walter Backstrom(WB) who is a columnist, writes the last text. WB thought that children in kindergarten only learned about ABCs and colours, but after a conversation with a kindergarten teacher, he now...

Words: 749 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Poopie

...than a boxing victory. During the 1930’s, people of ethnic groups, especially Blacks, were not worth much. When Angelou stated, “Champion of the world. A Black boy. Some Black mother’s son.” (Paragraph 27), this defined struggle. This battle against the White Contender was not your ordinary victory. The victory would exemplify the Blacks, not only defeating a White man and it being okay, but also would portray an aspect of Blacks defeating the system. For once in their lives, it gave African Americans a sense of empowerment. This was their first step of defense, where no repercussions would be taken in exchange for victory. This essay is an example of a student's work Disclaimer This essay has been submitted to us by a student in order to help you with your studies. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers. Essay Writing Service Essay Marking Service Example Essays Who wrote this essay Become a Freelance Writer Place an Order “If Joe lost we were back in slavery and beyond help. “ “My race groaned. It was our people falling”. (Paragraphs 16 and 17).[Reference?] These two quotes represent struggle and years of pain. They knew what it was like to experience violence first hand. It was not a myth nor story they heard about, they felt the pain on a daily basis. Not only would this defeat be a lost for Louis, but it would represent defeat to the entire Black culture. If this were to happen,...

Words: 1619 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Birmingham Letter

...Birmingham. From his prison cell, King replied not only to the ministers' letter but also to an educated, white, middle-class audience, by writing his response in the margins of the newspaper and on toilet paper . "I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was well timed in the view of those who have not suffered from the disease of segregation," King, wrote in what was later published as the essay, Letter from Birmingham Jail. The 6500 word letter went on to explain and make clear to the clergy and to the world why the struggle against racism must not be deferred. King's main claim in this letter is that no matter what the circumstances are it is far beyond time for the black community to stand up and fight for what is rightfully theirs, the same rights and freedoms accorded to the white community. King effectively accomplishes this task through the structure of the essay and in his use of pathos, ethos, and logos to defend his arguments. King's structure of the essay is purposeful in its attempt to sway the audience into his way of thinking. King begins the essay by clarifying why he is in Birmingham to begin with. Secondly, King describes his direct action campaign, for this is why he is being attacked, his "unruly" behavior. He then explains to the reader that this campaign may involve breaking laws, but they are laws that should not be in place to begin with. Next King appeals to the...

Words: 1794 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Arsenal Are the Best

...History Leaving Cert American Essay Notes By James Esses Mocks.ie History Leaving Cert Revision Notes James Esses Page 1 Contents 1.0 Essay 1: Changes in the US Economy from 1945-1989 ..................................................................... 3 1.1 Boom (1945-1968) .................................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Bust (1968-1989)..................................................................................................................... 4 2.0 Essay 2 Consumer Society post 1945 ................................................................................................ 6 3.0 Essay 3 Foreign Policy 1945-1972 ..................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Berlin ....................................................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Korea ....................................................................................................................................... 9 3.3 Berlin Wall ............................................................................................................................. 10 3.4 Cuba ...................................................................................................................................... 10 4.0 Essay 4: How did the US become involved in Vietnam and why did it escalate in...

Words: 5670 - Pages: 23