Catherine Zhang ‘26
February is the National Black History Month. Black History Month was first initiated by historian Carter Woodson, who established a one-week-long celebration to acknowledge the achievements and contributions of Black Americans. This week-long celebration eventually evolved into the full-month celebration designated by President Gerald Ford in 1976. Coincidentally, February is also Abraham Lincoln's and Frederick Douglass’s birthdays. Both figures are significant in to fight against slavery.
On a national level, the institution of Black History Month shows the commitment to acknowledge the often-overlooked accomplishments that African Americans have achieved. It is also essential to acknowledge past wrongdoings and keep the public informed about the struggles and resilience of the Black community. Black History is indispensable to the History of the United States. They are also crucial to American identity. Incumbent President Donald Trump addressed on January 31 that “This National Black History Month, as America prepares to enter a historic Golden Age, [he] wants to extend [his] tremendous gratitude to black Americans for all they have done to bring us to this moment, and for the many future contributions they will make…”
In our St. Mark’s community, where we value diversity and inclusion as well as the identity of every individual, Black History Month has frankly not been gaining the recognition it deserves. Last year, we had pictures of prominent artists, celebrities, and faculty members with African heritage exhibiting in the dining hall as a way of commending their efforts and contributions. However, this was apparently not a “fan’s favorite.” Therefore, there has not been any conspicuous celebration until a mixer on February 21. The mixer was held by the St. Mark’s School, inviting other ISL schools to join and providing time and space for affinity groups, like BLU and Los Leones, to bond and celebrate their month. Yet, there haven’t been any community-wise celebration events.
This year, a lot of the community and equity work at St. Mark’s relies on students moving things forward with initiatives. Hence, they are often unseen on the surface. However, reflecting on how we can celebrate Black History in a more interactive and meaningful way, we should put more consistent effort into acknowledging the history and educating beyond just Black History Month.
Moving forward, we as a school, can better celebrate Black History through integration into humanities courses. The efforts should not be only restrained in February, but rather all-year-round recognition to make the community stay informed. As we put our initiatives into tangible action, each of us has the obligation to find our place in the community, relative to others. In other words, we have to figure out why celebrating differences is intrinsic to this unique community. That process takes a lot of participation, guidance, and endeavor. Nevertheless, the process is the key to making everyone thrive, and eventually knitting a stronger community.