Celebrating Black Icons Past February

I remember learning in elementary school about Christopher Columbus and how he “discovered the United States.” At that age, you learn what the teachers give you, never bothering to question the history of America because all you want to do is play and sweat it out with friends during recess. The only reason I remember this is because of the contrasting teachings I learned during my school years. Columbus Day is celebrated in the same way people laud President’s Day, to honor the forefathers who built the country. However, I don’t give a damn about these holidays. Racism, imperialism, and nationalism being flipped into something worth loving is an absurd notion the more you learn about the storied, devastating US history. The more you follow along in your textbooks and use your noodle, the more trivial and meaningless these national holidays become. Fuck Flag Day. I propose an alternative instead: Let’s finish condensing Black Culture into the shortest month of the year and celebrate the Black icons who molded the foundation of societal culture.

Reverting back to the school system, I was living in Lakeland, Florida from seventh grade to the end of my sophomore year at Lake Gibson High School. One small memory out of many during the time period was during my freshman year in February, marking the beginning of Black History Month. Students, including myself, would get up and sit in…