As the month of February begins, an important aspect of American culture is celebrated by millions across the nation. Black History Month marks an annual commemoration of African American achievement, serving as a period of recognition for the various parts of this nation that stem from African American revolutionaries. And while this month highlights the past of Black history, the present of the community continues to benefit from its teachings. 

The path of African American history has undeniably encountered many struggles worth remembering, including slavery, segregation and misrepresentation. However, a great part of African American history includes significant outstanding figures who altered the course of their field of work for the better. These figures were showcased throughout various door decorations by clubs during this past month. 

From Black poets and authors to Black female revolutionaries to simple Black excellence, club door decorations observed the gems of Black history. For example, Black Student Union highlighted influential rapper Tupac Shakur and his accomplishments as a legendary hip-hop artist, as well as his advocacy for the Black community. A different door decoration displayed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. alongside other prominent Black historical figures under the words “fulfilling the dream,” referencing King’s famous speech during the March on Washington in 1963. Feminist Club focused particularly on impactful Black women, often discredited for their exceptional efforts in social justice work, such as the woman behind the planning of the March on Washington, Septima Clark. Throughout history, it has been common for Black talents to be disregarded; to show them, prideful and joyous, on each of these doors, communicates the strength of these significant historical figures despite their lifestyles of adversity, as well as the collective strength of the African American community.

“You can learn a lot of things from the past through Black History Month — one important thing being that no matter [the] skin color, race [or] gender, everyone is equal. No one should be put above or below because of what they believe or who they are,” BSU member and sophomore Jariyah McCalister said.  

However, the doors’ focus wasn’t placed solely on icons of the past. New modern African American innovators in music and literature were the focus of several doorways. French Club’s door displayed current African musicians topping the French charts, including several national icons such as Belgian rapper Stromae and French singer Aya Nakamura. Currently, Black artists are finding a lot of success in French airwaves, as French audiences favor hip-hop and jazz more than any other country in Europe. Because of this, the role of Black music in France is incredibly significant. Similarly, one BSU door featured current Black celebrities such as singer-songwriter SZA, actor Michael B. Jordan and television host Oprah Winfrey. And in the realm of literature, the National English Honors Society captured designs of specific books and writers; examples included poet Jericho Brown and author Alice Walker. Needless to say, Black culture and accomplishment continue to uphold a great legacy in the modern world as well. 

“We have negative connotations [about] certain parts of our culture, but at the same time, we can celebrate those and put those out to the mainstream demographics that have those negative connotations against us. That’s what we wanted to achieve through those door decorations,” BSU member and senior Anijah Wilson said.

The creativity of these decorations goes to show that the concept of Black History Month is not limited only to the celebration of those from the past, but also the history currently witnessed in the present. No matter what field of work they concern, whether highlighting figures of the past or present, the people featured on these door decorations prove instrumental to current navigation in today’s world. Moreso, BSU’s goal to spread the value of Black History Month fosters a space of community for students, committed to acknowledging both the struggles and the triumphs of the past. 

These door decorations provide an environment where walks through the school hallways surround and remind the community of the unforgettable and powerful black individuals who worked to make the present the way it is today. In the end, hanging up these decorations means ensuring that the door to Black history remains wide open. 

“Our decorations are one of the ways that we can get the whole school to participate in Black History Month. Our goal moving forward is to make Black History Month in our school a celebratory thing for everybody, not just us,” Wilson said. “As I’m leaving this year, I want to say to make these coming years much more participatory. Just celebrate more, everybody.”

Gallery • 10 Photos

Risa Cidoni

Curling strips of black paper, junior Derrick Lewis makes the finishing touches on the hair of a design for a Black Student Union door. The aim of the ‘Don't touch my hair’ door design was to symbolize the struggle Black women have been forced to put their hair a certain way for several years. “From past experiences, like in middle school, we've all experienced people touching our hair, and we didn't really care about it because we didn't think twice. But growing up and experiencing that, it’s not okay, and we wanted to make a door about it. I believe that you shouldn't be able to discriminate just because of how people decide to wear their hair and let it take away from the job opportunities they get. They should be able to have freedom with that,” Lewis said.

Gallery • 9 Photos

Risa Cidoni

Black Student Union decorated a door showcasing various greats of American history who represent Black excellence. Images include President Barack Obama, musical artist Michael “King of Pop” Jackson and civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.