February is Black History Month, a time when people of all backgrounds in the U.S. can reflect on the monumental contributions of Black people and organize events to honor their influences. From casual movie screenings to educational workshops, Ohio University students acknowledge Black History Month in different ways.
Black History Month has been recognized nationally since 1976, taking place in February to coincide with Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays. Since then, the commemoration has expanded to include all underrecognized contributions of Black people throughout history, including women and LGBTQIA+ people.
Jocelyn Brown is an assistant professor of African American studies at OU and she detailed how Black History Month is an opportunity to shed a positive light on Black Americans’ legacies.
“It’s this idea that we are going to shift and challenge and redefine the narrative of what America is taught about Black people, how they view and feel about Black people and Black culture,” Brown said. “Black History Month is a reclamation of everything that falls by the wayside, as well as countering the unsavory perceptions that average Black and white Americans have about the culture.”
Athens celebrates Black History Month in various ways, one of which is the Heroes in Color event held at the Athena Cinema. Located at 20 S. Court St., the Athena displays a movie every Friday that positively portrays a Black protagonist.
Heroes in Color was organized by Brandon Thompson and Gordon Briggs who put the event together after running a previous film series where they noticed a majority of the superheroes were white. Thompson and Briggs’ mission was to create an accessible and inclusive event where people can celebrate marginalized voices in film.
“There's always this idea that there's all these events on campus, but none of them are really for me, and if they are, maybe they'll be political events, not really fun stuff,” Briggs said. “I think it's interesting and important for people to see a positive image of themselves in movies, but also to know that the town that they live in, the school that they go to, the community that they're a part of, have events that emphasize their role.”
This is the second year of Heroes in Color and tickets to the movie screenings are free with the help of sponsors, including the OU Division of Diversity and Inclusion. At the event, there are prizes, trivia and themed drinks.
Thompson and Briggs emphasized anyone can go to the screenings, whether you are an Athens resident looking to rewatch your favorite classic or an OU student wanting to educate yourself on underrepresented Black protagonists and films.
“We want to be able to have a conversation without having a conversation, like you can just come and watch the movie,” Thompson said. “ … You'll hear from some people of color who can talk about their experiences because it's all about stories, different perspectives.”
Black History Month is also being acknowledged on campus with the help of student organizations like the Black Student Union. Trinity Robinson, a senior studying recreation management, is the president of BSU and said the organization's mission is to create a bond among Black students and raise awareness of social and political issues surrounding Black people.
On Monday, BSU partnered with the Student Senate Black Affairs Commission to put on “Forward We March,” an event that honors Black culture through performances and connection.
“It always has a very clear goal of celebrating Black history and where we've come from, where we are now, but also empowering the students as we go,” Robinson said.
Then, during the week of Feb. 17-23, BSU will put on “BSU Week,” where each day there are designated events, ranging from a community check-in Wednesday, to resume building Thursday and a karaoke night Friday.
BSU and other multicultural organizations’ programming are highlighted this month, but February is not the only time events celebrating Black culture are put on.
“There are so many different events going on, but it comes down to an underlying importance that you never forget who we are,” Robinson said. “... Black History Month is … 28 days, but we are forever, and we're here because a lot of the programming that students are doing, they're doing it all year long.”
Black history is not confined to February and people across Athens express the importance of recognizing Black contributions all year long.
“Black History Month goes beyond the month of February,” Brown said. “And so it's important that we accentuate it during this month. But this is something that has to continue regularly because Black American history is American history.”
