Black History Month is a special time when people learn about and celebrate the important contributions that black people have made to the world. It happens every year in February. At Patrick M. Villano School, students and teachers read and talk about famous black leaders, artists, scientists, and athletes. Some well-known people include advocate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., activist Rosa Parks, and poet Maya Angelou.
“My favorite black hero is Jackie Robinson because he influenced sports because now we have a lot of talented black players in sports today,” Gavin Melendez, a sixth-grader said.
Black History Month is a time to remember how important it is to treat everyone fairly, no matter their skin color.
“My favorite is Jackie Robison because he opened up baseball so that everybody could play. Some of the best players in baseball have diverse races,” said Theo Duffy, a sixth-grader.
“My favorite black hero is George Foreman. I think this because he went through lots of hardships and started as a poor kid. He then went toe to toe with Muhamed Ali and nearly won. He also became a preacher, and came back to box in his forties,” said Lucas Benefield, a sixth-grader.
According to National Geographic Kids online, historian named Carter G. Woodson said that the second week of February should be a time to celebrate the important things black Americans have done. He chose this week because two important people, Frederick Douglass, who fought to end slavery, and President Abraham Lincoln, who helped end slavery, were both born in February. In 1976, the week turned into a month.
