BSU Celebrates Black History Month

Education Beyond Black History Month

onth celebrates the achievements, culture and history of African Americans. 

It features a new theme every year, this year’s being “Black Resistance.” The theme recognizes the oppression and violence that Black individuals have faced for centuries, honoring their perseverance and strength. 

On Feb. 28, PVHS Black Student Union (BSU) plans to put on the movie “Just Mercy.” 

Senior and BSU President Amarachi Onyeador explains why BSU chose to show this movie.

“[‘Just Mercy’ highlights] past issues that are still relevant today,” Onyeador said. “After the movie, we’ll have a discussion that covers the prison-industrial complex and relates the past prison system to today’s.”

America has had a long history of racial injustice and oppression. 

Although the topic is touched on in our history curriculum, the extent to which racism is still rooted into our country often remains unexamined.

“Why can’t we talk about racism during class discussions?” Onyeador said. 

“We all know it’s a serious issue, but no one wants to look at that and address it.”

Onyeador emphasizes the connection between the past and the future, all of which is explored in history class. 

“One of the main reasons we learn history is to impact the future and to address injustice in policies,” Onyeador stated. 

“How can someone create [a policy] that covers everyone if they don’t even understand all their different perspectives through their history?”

Although Black History Month is an instrumental period of calling attention to racial issues, Onyeador hopes that people take away lifelong awareness of their actions and words. 

“[Black history and current racial injustice] are things people should be paying attention to all twelve months of the year, not just during February.” 

A Q&A With BSU Vice Presidents of Events, Ugo and Nenna Okorocha

What country is your family from and what’s something from your culture that you’re most proud of?

Nenna: Both our parents are immigrants from Nigeria—to be specific, Igbo. 

Ugo: There’s a lot of things to be proud of. I would say Afrobeats, and how that’s really becoming popular in the global music scene, and even our food, which is becoming really popular as well. I think it’s really cool when people start to get into what you are into.

Who are some influential Black figures whom you look up to?

Ugo: There’s a lot, but the person I would say I look up to the most is Aretha Franklin, because she was someone who fought to rise to the [top of the music industry]. She’s especially impressive because she was just named ‘Greatest Singer of All Time’ [by the Rolling Stone Magazine].

Nenna: I look up to Flo-Jo. She was a track star and currently holds the 100-meter and 200-meter record. I also look up to Marsai Martin, who is the youngest person to ever produce a movie—she was fourteen when she produced her first one. I want to go to film school, so she’s a big inspiration to me.

What are some things today, like innovations and rights, that most people don’t know were made possible by Black people?

Ugo: Traffic lights, getting rid of segregation, the light bulb, and peanut butter too!

Nenna: Utensils are everyday objects that were invented by a young African girl — most people don’t know that.

What issues in our school or community would you like to address through BSU this year?

Ugo: We would like to address some microaggressions. I feel like, the more that we let people know like hey, “It’s not your fault that you don’t know your words would make somebody uncomfortable, but they do, and here’s why.”

Nenna: This isn’t just something that happens only to Black people; it’s a thing with all races. Many minorities experience these microaggressions. 

Ugo: It’s our goal to make our school a safe space where we can all work together to confront these microaggressions.