B is for Black History Month
- Stacey Martin
- Feb 27, 2016
- 2 min read
B is for Black History Month
“Black History Month, or National African American History Month, is an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history.”*
As a black child of the 70s/80s, Black History Month has always been a big deal for me. It was the one month of the year to be loud and proud about the history of African Americans in the US, particularly the South. And when your grandfather was a prominent Civil Rights leader in your city and state, you grow up surrounded by stories of protests, marches and house burnings. It’s hard not to be immersed in Black history after hearing how your mom and aunt were arrested and put in a paddy wagon at 13 for “being in the wrong place at the wrong time”. I spent a lot of time as a child with my grandfather, siblings and cousins as we campaigned and attended revivals across rural South Carolina.
But then times changed….
My parents split up and I moved out of state, my grandparents passes and the stories came less frequently. Once you are out in the real world and no longer in school, it got harder to pay attention. Life got in the way.
And then I get notification of a MeetUp to volunteer to take pictures at West Charlotte HS for their Black History Month program. Always looking for a reason to have a camera in my hand, I volunteered and showed up ready to capture images and help out the students. I didn’t count on being as moved I was by the passion and fun the kids showed in the 2-hour program that paid tribute to everything from the Harlem Renaissance to NWA. Through song, spoken word, dance and fashion, the kids showed how proud they were of their blackness and how beautiful it is to be young and black.
For that, I thank them. For reminding me that while it’s great for the “outside” world to celebrate our contributions to the world every February, I need to remember that my family lived and I live Black history every day.
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