By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
There are some things I remember like they happened yesterday. In fact, I can recall them with great detail. As a 4th quarter guy, I spend a fair amount of time musing about yesteryear.
For example, the celebration of Black History has been going on for quite a long time. Dr. Carter G. Woodson had the foresight and the courage to create a platform for it. I can’t imagine the vitriol he endured for us to have the celebrations and the commemorations that we have.
The fires of racism and segregation were blazing during this period, yet Dr. Woodson made this monumental breakthrough in American history. He is known as the “Father of Black History”.
His staying power led him to establish Negro History Week in February 1926. That week led to Black History Month in 1976. Prior to Negro History Week, he was the co-founder for the Study of Negro Life and History. This organization later became the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
Over the years, African Americans have had different levels of achievement and success. I have always felt our singular success is our shared success. We know that success is easily wanted but arduously achieved. This is the reason we must be happy for each other.
When I was growing up in Winston-Salem NC, I was blessed to have been around a number of successful people. All were hardworking and set a great example for us.
Race did not affect our quest to do our best each day. There was a feeling and aura of fearlessness that permeated our homes and communities. We were prideful and thankful.
February is Black History Month. There are events and activities that highlight our many contributions to this world.
Peanuts are a worldwide food eaten by everyone. In fact, I had some peanuts just a few hours ago. Dr. George Washington Carver was known as “The Peanut Man”. He created over 300 uses for peanuts along with sweet potatoes and soybeans. Dr. George Washington Carver was a professor at Tuskegee Institute now University in Tuskegee Alabama.
As we know, the Olympic Games are taking place in Italy. The first African American to win an Olympic Gold Medal was John Baxter Taylor Jr. in 1908 at the London Olympics. Taylor was a part of the U.S. 4x4oo relay team. He was a track athlete at the University of Pennsylvania. The first African American to win an Olympic Gold Medal for an individual event (the long jump) was DeHart Hubbard in 1924 at the Paris Olympics. Both set the stage for future African American gold medalists to come.
Women like Gabby Douglas, Wilma Rudolph, Simone Manuel and Erin Jackson have taken home the gold medal. Men like Bob Hayes, Anthony Ervin, Andre Ward and Vincent Matthews have also won gold medals. Gold Medalist, Vincent Matthews is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University, my alma mater in Charlotte NC.
Black people have excelled across all walks of life. We have broken barriers and established new standards of excellence. Undaunted in our pursuits, we continue to defy the odds.
Mary McLeod Bethune defied the odds as she founded a private school for Black students which later became Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach Florida.
Black churches have also played an important role in higher education. The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church founded Wilberforce University (Ohio) in 1856 and Morris Brown College (Georgia) in 1881. There are 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in America. Each school will continue to graduate future world leaders.
We are living in an era where our history is being de-valued and cheapened by those zealots who are jealous of our accomplishments. Their efforts are puny and have no standing.
It is important that we teach our children and grandchildren about our glorious past. Our future triumphs continue to shine brightly with the glow of faith and thanksgiving. Our Black History is yesterday, today and tomorrow.