By Sonia Lemus
Reporter
February is Black History Month, a celebration of the greatest figures who represented the black community throughout history.
The celebration coincides with the February birthdays of Martin Luther King Jr. and Frederick Douglass. To kick off Black History Month, CSU Bakersfield held its annual Unity Breakfast. Several other events will take place on campus throughout the month, culminating in the Black History Month parade, and the finale event in the Student Union multi-purpose room on Feb. 28.
By Allison Lechman/The runner
Some CSUB students have found it important to know what Black History Month is, and why it is important.
“We are celebrating black lives, and how they can be just as influential as any other race,” said CSUB student Silvia Lopez.
“We celebrate culture, achievements in black history and in society, and the betterment of mankind,” said CSUB student Brisa Silverstein.
During Black History Month, some of the people celebrated are Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Booker T. Washington, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and many others.
To some CSUB students, every hero in black history matters. “Collectively, everyone we learn about is significant to who African-Americans are today,” said Amber Parker.
Shouoni Franklin, a CSUB student, noted Barack Obama as a hero in black history, and said his presidency would have made black heroes proud. The Black Student Union will have an informational tabling on Feb. 7 and Feb. 9 at the Runner Café Quad. A “Black Down Memory Lane” event will be hosted today in Dorothy Donahoe Hall room 103K, and again on Feb. 27 in the Residence Hall multipurpose room. All students are welcome, and the event will discuss the great impact of black history on this country.
