What began as “Negro History Week” nearly a century ago is now celebrated as Black History Month every February. In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to join him “in tribute to Black History Month and the message of courage and perseverance it brings to all of us.”
Pioneers like the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, author Maya Angelou, and President Barack Obama have all left their mark on American history. They, and countless others, have inspired generations of Black Americans to leave their own lasting impact on society.
We asked Prison Fellowship® staff and Academy® participants what Black History Month meant to them. Their responses capture the importance of remembering the past while also looking to the future.
Jermaine Wilson, Prison Fellowship mission ambassador
“It's an opportunity for Americans [and] individuals to see how far we've come in life so we can appreciate the present and have faith in where we're going with our future. It's also an opportunity for us to learn from the mistakes that [were] made so that we don't repeat those mistakes and instead honor and recognize people who have sacrificed and trailblazed for so many individuals to be in their positions today.”
James, Prison Fellowship Academy
participant in Iowa
“Black History Month means it's a time for love. It's the time for love of people and love for ourselves. Even though our plight is a bad one, we understand that it has built strength and character. And if we understand what it means, we can be good to each other. We can start to really appreciate that Black History Month is a time for a celebration of us.”
Erinn Fleeks, event manager for Angel Tree® events
“It reminds me of freedom for us and it highlights the struggle that we went through and [are] still going through.
It gives the world a chance to know about some people and history and things they may have not known about before.”
Chanjuok, Prison Fellowship Academy participant in Iowa
“Black History Month is pretty much like a unity for the brothers and sisters. It is like a mother celebrating that we are all one under one skin color. And it is just that love and that sincerity for one another. We all come together and just enjoy everybody's presence.”
Rochelle Glover, Prison Fellowship prison ministry manager
“Black History Month for me is me doing better and making sure that I'm keeping the legacy of those who have paved the way for me to have these privileges of my civil rights, the things that they fought for in the ‘70s.”
On paying it forward: “I think it first starts with my children making sure that they understand what Black History Month represents. For me, it's the month that's set aside to recognize it. But I pay it forward by telling my children that every day is Black History. You should be proud of who you are.”
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