February is Black History Month, which means it’s time to honor and celebrate the many accomplishments made by the African American leaders that have come before us.

Growing up, I never understood the meaning of Black History Month. I thought it was a month where we just constantly talked about the civil rights movement or other historical events that took place in our history.

Now that I’m older, I finally have a better understanding of this month, and I think it’s very important to share. We, as a society, have come so far over the last 30 years. While we still have a long way to go, I think it’s important to celebrate where we are and the strides we’ve made.

The story of Black History Month began in 1915, but since 1976 every president has acknowledged February as the month to celebrate African American achievements.

There were many historical figures that helped get us to where we are today. Rosa Parks, Shirley Chisholm, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many more spoke up for African Americans during a time when many did not want to.

It is because of them that we have the freedoms and liberties that we do today.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. talked about unity and not letting race divide us when he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. He said:

“In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.”

I think the common misconception about Black History Month is that people think it’s boring or unimportant to talk about. The truth is, without these leaders standing up and fighting for equality, we wouldn’t have a lot of the rights that we do today.

Black history is a part of American history.

I’m honored to be an African American able to share the love for diversity that Dr. King and other historical figures wanted.

It’s important that we remember that no matter where we come from, at the end of the day, we are all human. We have to respect and love one another.

Know your history, and remember that we are one!