February 2025
Black History Month: Celebrating “Hidden Figures”
By Muriel Jones
The celebration of Black history was born in 1926 and was just celebrated for a week. This week would turn into a month-long celebration officially in 1976. The premise behind a celebration of Black history was to make more resources available for Black teachers to teach and celebrate the contributions of Black people in America. Prior to this Black history or the contributions of Black people were not taught in schools and could not be found in a textbook. There was not “history” for Black people and students to learn about. In order for Black students to be successful and see that they are capable of greatness, they needed to be taught about greatness before them, from people that looked like them.
Now some may ask, why do we continue to celebrate Black history month? We continue to celebrate Black history, because Black history IS American history. To understand the history of America, we must celebrate the contributions that Black people have made.
As a society, we should continue to strive for diversity on all levels to promote broader perspectives and achieve a cohesive environment for all people. Black history is not just for Black people, Black history is a conversation for everyone! When we look at ourselves as a diverse nation, we must understand the history of all people in order to see the value in their stories. Black history focuses attention on the contributions of Black people in America from all periods in US history.
Let’s highlight some Black people in history who are not always talked about as much as some of our well know people, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. Although these people are not talked about much or mentioned in many history books, we celebrate their invaluable contributions to our country.
Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha P. Johnson was a Black transgendered woman who fought tirelessly for the right of the LGBTQ+ community. She was amongst activists that spoke out about police brutality and discrimination, not only in the Black community, but for the LGBTQ+ community as well. Along with being a drag queen performer as well, Johnson organized and fed homeless youth that identified as queer.
Claudette Colvin
We talk about Rosa Parks a ton in our history books, but many do not know that Claudette Colvin, nine months prior to Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat, did the same thing. In March 1955, Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat on a bus to a White passenger. She was arrested at only 15 years old. Claudette was the main witness in the Browder v Gayle case, which legally ended segregation on public transportation in Alabama.
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the US in 1864. Dr. Crumpler faced tremendous scrutiny and prejudice in the medical world, but she did not let this deter her. Dr. Crumpler spent her career servicing underprivileged populations who had limited access to health care.
Mary Kenner
As a woman, I am thankful for Mary Kenner. Mary Kenner was an inventor who dedicated her career to making inventions that would simplify the lives of others. In 1920, Kenner invented the sanitation belt, which would later aid in the invention of the sanitation pad. Kenner, due to discrimination, was not able to profit off of her inventions at the time, but continued to invent because she knew that these inventions would help others. Kenner was later awarded 5 patents for her inventions and her incredible contribution to the US.
Frederick Jones
Fred Jones was a self-taught mechanic. In 1938, Jones invented the portable air conditioning system for trucks. This invention has been used to transport perishable foods. This invention became even more valuable in World War II when they used it to transport blood and medication to hospitals and war zones.
Black History is American History! I hope that during this month that as you walk around, that maybe you notice a bus and think of Claudette, that you go to the doctor and think of Dr. Rebecca. Celebrating diversity and the contributions that each of us brings to the table is so important. Not just Black history, ALL history.