The month of February is often known as the month with Valentine’s Day receiving most of the attention. However, something to remember about February, more than hearts and flowers and chocolates is that February is Black History Month.

Black History Month is a time to reflect on history and remember those who stood up for civil rights and those who suffered conflict during the period. And most importantly to realize that history is still in the making that civil rights violations are still happening today. Remembering the past can lead us to learn how we can keep history changing for the better. 

Black History Month is a month of reflecting on those who fought for equal rights and freedoms for themselves and the individuals around them. You’ve probably learned about some of these historical figures in school: Martin Luther King Jr. who led the civil rights movement, and non-violent protests and is most known for his “I Have A Dream” speech, or Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat on the bus which lead to her being jailed, or Harriet Tubman when she led slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad before the Civil War began, or Barack Obama when he became the 44th President of the United States and the first African American President, or Malcolm X who fought both alongside and against Martin Luther King Jr.’s non-violence protests to gain equality “by any means necessary.”

Black History Month is vital to society, and the world wouldn’t be the same without it. These historical figures have made huge impacts on our society and have guided us in the right direction in the current day. They showed that one person could actually make a huge difference in the world. They showed that doing what is right, even when it is difficult and even dangerous, can change and save lives. 

Black History is going to last throughout history and it will not be abandoned anytime soon. I can’t say it enough but these people contribute to history in the past, as well as history in the making mean so much to me even though they aren’t all directed toward me in anyway. I feel a strong connection to these men and women who fought for what they believed in and accomplished their dreams even though others around them tried to defend their rights so they have more power of them. Even though we can’t change the past, we can still change the future. We can’t say for sure that one day we’ll all be at a perfectly leveled world when it comes to these matters, but we can’t dig a hole any further if we don’t have a shovel to begin with. So the fact that we have the opportunity as of right now, we should put it to use, because who knows, we might not have the chance in the future. We should improve our progress towards this goal, instead of letting it decay as time passes. Given this point, we should keep at that vision while enjoying our time together as human beings, because there is no telling what drastic change will be thrown at the course that we have now.

To wrap all of this up, black history month is sometimes passed off like it is just occurrence that happened in the past but we wouldn’t be the same without these events happening in the first place. This month just remember all of these people and open-minded figures who fight not for destruction, but for the equality of rights, freedom, and civilization as a whole. I just want to bring this back to current day, and remind everyone that not everything has been and will be given to us so we need to continue these historical visions and thank those who fought for what we have today. This is the importance of Black History Month and why it should be carried on by the present and further into the unknown future.