For those of you that don't know, February is not only the month for romantic dates and boxed chocolates; it’s also Black History Month. A month dedicated to learning about the history of black culture and people, and how much of an impact on our society their contributions have had. Without black inventors, writers and activists, life would be totally opposite from what it is today. Similar to most holidays and annual events, Black History month wasn't formed in the blink of an eye. It took time and a great motivation to gather people of all kinds to see how important the history was.

In 1920, Dr. Carter G Woodson, a journalist and Harvard graduate, wanted to start a tradition where his friends and black organizations could celebrate their achievements and stress their issues. Later in 1926, the second week of February became “Negro History and Literature Week.” The second week of February was chosen to honor Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass' birthdays. By 1960, a whole month was dedicated so that the whole nation could “Go back to that beautiful history,” as said by Woodson, and be inspired to achieve greatness. From the beginning, when black people only had a week to honor their achievements, Woodson kept his mindset the same. Woodson wanted to increase the knowledge of black history in his town, in schools, and all over the nation. Woodson believed that black history should be just as relevant and taught as much as any other history instead of just for that week, wanting black people to represent and live by our culture everyday of our lives.

Learning about my culture and where I come from helps me understand and love myself not only as a black person but as an individual. I understand the reason why my skin is lighter or darker than my friends, the way my hair curls differently, and the way my lips are fuller than others. I have become aware of issues in the black community and try my best to let others know about what is going on so that those issues can be known and hopefully resolved. See black people all over the world achieving and reaching places that was thought to be impossible; this inspires me to do more and work hard to be a spark of a greater change in the world. I am thankful to be raised in an environment where I can openly practice my native traditions and I can truly digest why I practice them.

Overall, I don't believe this statement is just for Black people, but for all races. Every person of any race should take the time to learn about the history surrounding their culture and origin, celebrating it for far more than just for a month.