Black History Month is a month where the accomplishments and significance of black Americans are recognized and celebrated. This originated in 1926 when Carter G. Woodson and a group of African Americans announced the second week of February as Negro History Week. Yet, as time went on, President Gerald Ford declared February 1976 to be the official Black History Month. His statement was, “to seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” 

This isn’t celebrated as a holiday but as a memorial– a memorial for all of the activists and leaders who paved the way for a better life for African Americans today. In St. Louis High School there are multiple students who have African descent and have a very different culture than most people here. 

For example, sophomore Ignatius Jackson is an African immigrant from the country of Liberia. He has been in the United States for five years total, and he stated, “The overall culture is very different here. When I’m at home, I eat differently; I speak differently; I just live a different life because I’m a lot more comfortable at home.”

Sophomore Maude Zolue is also an immigrant from Liberia. She has been in the United States for almost four years. She stated, “It’s really a privilege to live in the United States, but it’s concerning to live in a country where you hear stories of how skin color is such a big deal. It’s really different because in Africa mostly everyone is black, so it isn’t that big of a deal.” 

Freshman Wisdom Zanquo is of African descent but grew up in America almost his whole life. His family moved to the United States when he was very young. He stated, “It’s cool because it’s kind of like getting the best of two worlds. I’m a part of my African culture because that’s how I live when I go home. I also feel like I’m apart of the African American culture in America because I’ve been here for so long.”