Black history constitutes an integral part of American history, and undoubtedly the United States would not be the same without the contributions of African Americans.
Black History month, the month of February marks an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. In February, we honor all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today.
The student council is putting together a commemoration like never before. Black History Month is a great opportunity for our students to creatively express themselves and their respect for the African-American heritage and celebrate their accomplishments throughout history.
Schools all over America celebrate this event and Allison Academy has made its own small laudation in the classrooms.
Exploring black culture and art
As Allison Academy tends to create a space where the ideas of liberty, racial equality, and justice are explored and encouraged, with our activities, we explore topics that raise awareness of African-American art, historical advances in terms of fighting for equal rights, and the importance of the impact they have made on the culture we know today. That is why we indulged in some really creative projects with the intention of honoring all the great things our black fellows have done throughout history.
This month at Allison Academy, students became teachers and came together to prepare a presentation, share quotes and portraits of important historical figures, and present the ways these individuals changed history and defied stereotypes. In honor of this Black History Month, Mrs. Milner taught her students the expressionism and realism of Alma Woodsey Thomas, who was an African-American artist and teacher who lived and worked in Washington, D.C. and is now recognized as a major American painter of the 20th century.
As for Allison’s staff, our dedicated counselors took aside some time and worked alongside students on ideas for posters that could illustrate the observance. Together they have created some really interesting visualizations of the progressive ideas that reshaped our society in terms of racial equality and have created some really cool posters that represent some of the key figures of black history!
Why paying homage to black history is important
The teaching of Black history and celebration of their culture doesn’t begin and end with Black History Month. However, February is the time when we put our focus and bring different disciplines together around one key topic: the fight for freedom and expression in a society that was unaccepting of a whole race for a long period of time.
In order to create a space that is based on celebratory and uplifting ideas of equality, we must remember all the great things our fellow black people have achieved and all the contributions they have made to the society we know and live in today. By remembering the brave voices of black people throughout American history, we celebrate the idea of an equal society and remember the dark times of oppression, when their bravery and a will to fight for a better life shone through the hardships.
One of the key aims of Black History Month at Allison Academy is to know and understand the history of black people in America as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times of slavery to the present day. This includes how those courageous people’s lives have shaped this nation and how America has influenced and been influenced by the wider world, which helps build an understanding of a shared American history.
