Black History Month sparks annual debate over its existence—a debate alive and well at Marshall, where the month is primarily recognized via facts on the morning announcements.
Senior Micheas Atkilt said he finds the announcements “demeaning.”
“It appears to me like African-Americans had a bad past so let’s give them a month to go over things that nobody cares about,” Atkilt said. He added that this sentiment was patronizing.
Senior Maha Hassan said she disagrees.
“[The announcements are] important to inspire students,” she said. “While it could be seen as patronizing … it’s like, would you rather just talk about the bad stuff?”
Counselor Tanya Shuford, who sponsors the African-American Heritage Club, is responsible for compiling the facts for Black History Month.
“The purpose behind the announcements is to enlighten everyone,” she said. Shuford added that the announcements serve to highlight the contributions of noteworthy African-Americans.
“I think it’s sad that some people have to wait until tertiary education to get a sense of African-American [history] in America,” French teacher Adwoa Ulzen said.
Senior Ola Alexander wants the AAHC to more actively raise awareness of the month.
“There’s a lack of people who want to learn about African-American history,” she said. “[But] Marshall is a great place for African-Americans to be because of the atmosphere.”
Atkilt mentioned the already-established “African Fridays”—days when African and African-American students wear clothing representing their cultural heritage—as a more effective method of raising awareness.