Sometimes when
topics become controversial, it’s best to hand them over to children. They work with the purity of their independent
minds regardless of the facts presented. Their answers may be farfetched, sly
or cool, which is not exactly what we expect; but on careful assessment the
possibility of harmony could be discovered.
Black History is celebrated in the United States of America during the month of February. It is a topic that remains at the epicenter of conversations. Depending on the account given or recalled, the seismic waves of emotions drawn always seem to measure the same. Social media has become a stomping ground for exchanging and sharing opinions and information on Black History. I have read some interesting comments but still have an insatiable thirst for more through the eyes of children. Hence, I hurriedly asked three of my grandchildren to briefly write on the topic “What Black History Means to Me”.
Their presentations remain unedited, shared in raw form.
___________________________________________________________
Submitted by Shadrack Sims, Buffalo, NY:
I think Black
History means to celebrate our ancestors from Africa and celebrities like Michael
Jordan. Nelson Mandela to me was a strong black leader for Africa. Rosa Parks
was a lady who believed in equal rights. She had bravery and the courage to
stand up to the white people on a bus in Alabama, who tried to force her to sit
at the back of the bus. With such
leaders and their acts of courage they sure have made a way for my generation. Michael
Jordan is famous to me as a black person, because not only was he a NBA player,
but he also became an entrepreneur making clothes and sneakers. He also became
part owner of a basketball team once he stopped playing. Someday I would like
to be like Michael and own my own business. This is what I think Black History
means to me.
Copyright © 2014 Shadrack Sims
_______________________________________________________________Submitted by Trelawny Sims, Buffalo, NY:
In my opinion,
Black history is antiquity of essential African Americans who contributed to
society and fought for/gained equal rights for African-Americans today. Some
African American heroines fought in malignant conditions which were prejudice
times when Caucasians conceived in and implemented ethnocentrism.
Customarily,
during Black History Month, we acknowledge African American individuals such
as, Martin Luther King Jr. (Civil Rights Movement leader), Jackie Robinson (associated
with breaking the color barrier), and Harriet Tubman (Founder of the
"Underground Railroad"). However, there are numerous
African-Americans who are scarcely acclaimed for their endowment to American history.
For example, J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. is an African American nuclear scientist
that contributed to the Manhattan Project and became the youngest
student, at age 13, to enroll at the University of Chicago. Not only is Black
history still referred to currently resemble the evolution of American history,
but it remains in existence to educate the African American youth of today that
we are veritably competent and are capable of making differences.
Copyright © 2014 Trelawny Sims
__________________________________________________________________
Submitted by Emme-Ya Sims, Buffalo, NY:
Black History, to me, means an era in which black people made a mark among mankind yet were given very little regards. Today we have arrived at an era where blacks and non-blacks alike are learning about the marvelous works of black people. For example inventions such as the traffic light and the John Lee Love’s pencil sharpener. It is likewise interesting to learn about hair products and hairstyles.
Black History month gives us a chance to know about black
slaves and how they were treated on the plantations. It also reveals the
achievements such as Black Wall Street where black people were affluent and had
their own businesses. Black History month is a wonderful piece of history
because it shows us what black people are capable of; coming together and talking
about the amount of knowledge accumulated since slavery when black people were
not allowed to learn. Overall, Black History Month is a set aside time to look
at all the struggles and achievements of black people.
Copyright © 2014 Emme-Ya
Sims
Tah-tah! Love comes easy when learning is understood.
Grace Dunkley-Asphall Copyright © 2014
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