"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
On January 21st, we celebrated and remembered Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and achievements – his work with civil rights that affected the whole nation, particularly through his campaigns to end racial segregation on public transport and for racial equality in the United States. As January comes to a close and we paddle steadily onward through this new year, February marks Black History month – a time to honor and remember a broader spectrum of our country’s fight for social equity and those individuals and cultures who have shaped our communities.
February wasn’t always a month dedicated to this particular area of our history. It was a process born of a similar struggle for awareness. Daryl Michael Scott from Howard University, for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History wrote:
As a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson, like W. E. B. Du Bois before him, believed that truth could not be denied and that reason would prevail over prejudice. His hopes to raise awareness of African American’s contributions to civilization was realized when he and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The response was overwhelming: Black history clubs sprang up; teachers demanded materials to instruct their pupils; and progressive whites, not simply white scholars and philanthropists, stepped forward to endorse the effort.
What began as a week-long celebration of recognition and awareness expanded to a month in 1976 after fifty years of civil rights struggle that would coalesce to create a movement that would change the course of American history.
We know that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., inspired by the Baton Rouge Bus Boycott of 1953, used this style of peaceful, well organized grassroots protesting to lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 (The First Civil Rights Bus Boycott). Here are a few contributions over the decades that you may not know, however:
- On March 2nd 1955, a fifteen-year-old girl named Claudette Colvin was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a public bus. This was approximately nine months before Rosa Parks made her public stand.
- Bessie Coleman became the first licensed African American female pilot in 1921.
- Madam C.J. Walker invented specialized cosmetic products for African Americans and is widely regarded as one of the first American women to become a self-made millionaire.
- Thurgood Marshall was the first African American appointed to the United State Supreme Court.
- Private Cathay Williams was the only woman to serve in the US Army as a Buffalo Soldier.
- John Baxter Taylor, Jr. was the first African American to win an Olympic Gold Medal.
This is, of course, a woefully inadequate sampling of such remarkable accomplishments and feats. It’s impossible to include the rich and complex history of African Americans in the US in a singular blog post. During the month of February each year, individuals and organizations across the country bring important historical milestones, stories, cultural themes, and political discourse to us through presentations, interpretative programs, performance, and round table discussion. It is a time to reflect, to talk, to communicate, and to learn so that we, as a regional and national community, can progress together.
Here in the Basin, February is a central time for us to highlight our ongoing efforts as well as the work of our partners toward civil equity.
On Thursday, February 7, The River Road African-American Museum will host Survival: Food for the Soul at the Ashland Belle Helene Plantation, 8000 LA-3251 in Geismar. Featuring award winning food historian Dr. Jessica Harris, Survival: Food for the Soul addresses the role the transatlantic slave trade in the development of southern cuisine. As a bonus, she will lead a tasting of traditional vegetable dishes. In addition to Dr. Harris, speakers from across Louisiana and the nation will address the impact of the Jim Crow era segregation, the Civil Rights fight of the 1960’s, and the continued push for social equity in modern society. Admission is free, RSVPs are requested by calling the River Road African-American Museum at 225-474-5553. More information can be found in our events calendar.
On February 21 BREC will host their Annual Black History Month Celebration at Independence Park Theatre and Cultural Center, located at 800 Independence Blvd. in Baton Rouge. The program will feature Mychal Bell of the Jena 6 as the sponsored speaker, and the theme of the program will be Present Day History—Channeling the Past; Changing the Narrative. The celebration is meant to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of African-Americans both in history and present day. Multiple mediums will be used to enhance the program including an artist walk, musical and spoken performance, and youth skits. More information can be found on BREC’s website.
These are just two events among so many others you can attend during the month of February in our area. Please check our calendar for continued updates and additions as we work hard to highlight all the wonderful work the organizations of the Atchafalaya are doing to bring our history and cultures to you.
