Years, Decades, Centuries: The legacy of Black History Month and it's presence at NHS

Black History Month has been officially honored in the US since 1976, but it was a long time coming. Historian Carter G. Woodson founded an organization in 1915 that studied the history and culture of African-Americans, and in 1926 the group declared the second week in February to be a week-long celebration of Black history. The seven-day period included the birthdays of both Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Today, Black history is celebrated throughout the month of February.

Northfield High School has had a tumultuous Black History Month, though the NHS Black Student Alliance has staged several events throughout February. I spoke with senior and student leader Oluwafikemi Blessing Samuels about BSA’s work to celebrate Black History Month within the Northfield community. “[The] impact of [Black History Month] is just bringing more perspective and highlighting the different leadership positions [that] Black people and African-Americans have had throughout the years,” Samuels says of the national celebration. She adds that the month emphasizes “the capabilities that Black people have, and what’s really in store for us. What we can bring into the future.”

Despite this critical purpose, Northfield failed to have a Black History Month assembly. A student source that would prefer to remain anonymous stated “When we had our events for Black History Month, it wasn’t really shared. It was at the bottom [of postings and emails]...none of our stuff was really announced.” From speaking with this student, I learned that what was planned as an entire assembly - similar to  the Black History Month celebration last year that included public speakers, dancing and live music - was packed into just 13 minutes of last month’s pep rally. “The date ended up getting taken by the winter pep rally,” the source shared, referring to the day that BSA had confirmed with Student Council for the Black History Month assembly.

Samuels further noted that BSA “Had some restrictions from the district regarding what we were able to post on social media.” This hindered the students in Northfield’s BSA from sharing news about the various events that they put on throughout the month. The week of February 5 featured five unique spirit days, with students dressing as Black icons, representing their culture, and wearing all black in support of marginalized groups, among other themes. On Friday, February 9, the organization arranged a viewing of the film The Color Purple. An exhibition about prominent Black historical figures can be found in the hallway of Building 5, showcasing decades of Black achievement in the United States. Samuels drew particular attention to the song-and-trivia game arranged by BSA, and the DPS-wide banquet for Black Student Alliance chapters that is hosted in the month of February. The anonymous student source added that despite hosting several events, turnout was low. “Only a few people came,” the student said, in reference to the showing of The Color Purple. “If you look on the Schoology newsletter, it was at the bottom.”

BSA hoped to welcome more people into their community this year. Speaking about the impacts of Black History Month at Northfield, Samuels comments “I think [the impact] would be us, as a club, getting to interact with people that we see come into the events and just build up that relationship with them. Talk to them about our club and just build a more welcoming community within ourselves.” Samuels celebrates the interpersonal connections that were formed within BSA, and with anyone new that came to the events throughout the month. In fact, that community connection may just be the most important thing about Black History Month. Samuels notes that allyship is a crucial step that the Northfield student body can take to honor Black history and the year-round achievements of Black Americans. She encourages students to stand in solidarity with Black students in the classroom, on social media, and within clubs and activities. “I hope [Black History Month] becomes maybe not so much of an outsider-looking-in type of thing, where it’s just one group setting the plans, taking charge for it, and then just one group looking at what we have done just as passersby. I think it should be more of a community effort, where everybody’s coming in and beginning to celebrate Black history, and that’s how we blow it up to become a year-round, decades-round, centuries-round thing, you know?” Indeed, the anonymous source agreed that power and strength are found in numbers, and expressed the desire to not only host events in which turnout is dramatically increased, but to increase the number of students that are participating members of BSA.  

Black History Month has come to a close, but students can still take part in conversations about race and equity year-round. Check hallways and Schoology posts for information about events organized by Northfield’s Black Student Alliance, take a look at their Black Owned Businesses List, and educate yourself by reading a book from this antiracist booklist. This February came with barriers to BSA, and the events that were hosted despite district and school regulations should be celebrated. But the past month has also served as a call to action for students and administrators alike: the support and celebration of marginalized groups within our school community is not optional.

Thank you to Oluwafikemi Blessing Samuels for her contributions to this article.