As February rolls around, many people will be celebrating love. Not just romantic love, but love and admiration for the Black community. Since 1926, Black History Month has evolved from a weeklong celebration to our current, month-long commemoration of African American and Black culture. 

However, to correctly honor this community one must realize its immense diversity.  Many seek to group different black Americans into the term “African-American culture.” But such a term cannot begin to encompass the variety of religious identities, cultures, and origins that form the black community in America. At Liberty alone, there is a diverse range of black students, each with their own unique identities. 

“If I’m not representing myself as an Ethiopian, I am a completely different person. I am very proud of my identity because it gives me a support group and a community to relate to,” sophomore Minot Elias said.    

Elias essentially argues that community and identity are interconnected. Therefore as a school community, especially during this month, how does Liberty support unique identities? 

“Black History Month is a great opportunity to listen to the experiences of  black students and staff members, especially in a community where our black student population is 2% or less. Therefore, being understanding and still recognizing that, even at Liberty, racism exists and many racial issues still need to be faced,”  Principal Andrew Brownson said. 

In the past, Liberty has recognized these issues, as well as Black History Month, in various ways. The most prominent being assemblies that include speakers relevant to the occasion– black activists or prominent figures in the community for example. While many enjoy these assemblies, others question their efficacy.

“The reality about assemblies is that, although they can be powerful, a lot of students don’t have the maturity level to sit there for an hour and genuinely listen to what someone has to say. Simply, people right now don’t care enough,” senior Naomi Hancock said.  

If people do not care enough, how does Liberty proceed?  How do we make our student body interested in important topics such as black history? Senior Te’Aijza Robinson believes that the answer lies in ingenuity.   

“Liberty should find other ways to honor black history month–creating a periodic table of black figures, putting up more interesting posters in recognition of a wider range of people or even acknowledging the breakthroughs of black individuals in the daily announcements–there is so much space for creativity and expression.”  Robinson said. 

Additionally, finding new, refreshing ways to honor a serious celebration could bring about a new source of support.  A big fear that many inside the black community have is that some celebrate black history month more as a moral chore than as a genuine celebration. 

“I think black history month can  become performative because it makes people feel better about themselves. They can successfully say something like “I’ve bought from black business, I’m good”, while in reality,  all they’ve done is the bare minimum.If you do want to support black people, then you can’t just do the bare minimum,” Equity Council member Imaan Mohiuddin said.   

In continuation, others feel as if this performative aspect to the celebration has caused the erasure of black issues during the rest of the year; therefore, reducing the black experience to a few weeks of pride.

“I don’t necessarily celebrate this month because a lot of poc are made to feel obligated and as a black person, I celebrate and represent black history month and culture every day,” Robinson said.    

Black history predates the concept of black history month. Not only that, but being black continues on after February. Consequently, once again, the question of wholly addressing black history, during such a short period of time, arises. The answer? Black students at Liberty feel is simply to not. Instead, they argue that this month should be used to emphasize what can be done year round. 

“If you venture into buying from black businesses or listen to black artists during this month, there is a high chance you might find it enjoyable or interesting. Ultimately, you can become a returning customer. That is to say that what you do during Black history month has the potential to be something that you do throughout the year,” Hancock said.  

It seems that the overall opinion is that black history month should be used as a vehicle for change–the support of black figures, remembering black history, and honoring unique identity serves to build a future where this is the norm. Such change can be brought about individually and also as a school community.  

“For one, Liberty should make the black student union (BSU) happen at Liberty. Through the education of students, we can work to make our school less ignorant. Teaching black history more in depth would be immensely beneficial because all I’ve learned about is Martin Luther King and slavery. And while those are relevant, there is much more that can be taught,” Elias said.  

On the topic of teaching, students for chance are contributing to awareness of black history at Liberty. They plan to set up a gallery walk showcasing Black persistence in the library, which would include artifacts, images of relevant events, and descriptions of important figures.  

As more is being done to celebrate and to talk about black history month, February has taken on a new purpose. With the renewed focus on racial issues that dwell beneath oppressive institutions in our country, many at Liberty propose a call to action. Many believe that more should be and can be done within our school to unearth these issues and speak of them plainly. They believe black history month is certainly a time for discourse and commemoration. But they also remind that black history month should accomplish a persistent support for the black community that continues indefinitely throughout the year.