Mo'nique Angela Hicks, United States: Black History Month Celebration (1970)

 Mo'nique Angela Hicks, United States: Black History Month Celebration (1970)

Black History Month was first proposed by black educators and the Black United Students at Kent State University in February 1969- (I, Van Stone, was in the 2^nd grade). The first celebration of Black History Month took place at Kent State one year later, from January 2, 1970 – February 28, 1970. (Therefore, Black History Months was actually a phrase for the celebration being not one month but two months).   

Six years later, Black History Month was being celebrated all across the country in educational institutions, centers of Black culture and community centers, both great and small, when President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month, during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial. He urged Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history".

In the year 2019, we as Black Americans, be we Native Americans, (The American Indian, Black peoples originated also from Africa then migrating and reaching to be peoples of the Americas, being in the Americas, long before European sailors had ever reached the Americas), be we African Americans, (The Black Americans, Black peoples who are able to discuss their short descent of the Africans captured by both White governments and African governments during the Atlantic Slave Trade and then made slaves here in Americas), be we Jamaican Americans (The Black Americans who are able to discuss their short descent of African slaves to Jamaica and then under British colonial rule and, then became fully emancipated by Britain of all slavery in 1838,- Jamaican Blacks were freemen - as much as 27 years - long before Blacks living in the Americas were emancipated from slavery), Be we Black Americas, (The Black Americans who are able to discuss their short descent of African slaves to all of North America and South America including but not limited to Latinos/Hispanics and then under British colonial rule or Spanish colonial rule or Portuguese colonial rule or French colonial rule and, then became fully free by means of revolution to liberation of all slavery are still competing with one another about the Blackness. Meanwhile, Black History Month will forever be of great importance to all Black peoples and non-Black people alike.    

We stand all together and celebrate our talented Black people, some modern, the likes of Monique, also known as the great legend, Mo'nique Angela Hicks, actor, comedian, activist, as well as some past, the likes of Ali, also known as the late great legend, Muhammad Ali, actor, boxer, activist during Black History Month. Because Know Your Black History Is Vital -Know Who You Identify As Black Is Vital. Be courageous! And also know something else… Black People are the only people, -self-identify our Blackness.