May We Forever Stand: A Reflection on the Significance of Black History

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Over the course of the various stages and ages of my life, I have found no statement to be truer than the words spoken by “Mother Maya”. Whether it has been as a child taking in the sights and sounds of New York City while riding with my mother, a Haitian immigrant and New York City cab owner, who encouraged me to strive to live a life that served a greater good or coming to the early realization that my life experiences would be different for reasons and factors that I could not fully grasp or have control over. Both moments had a lasting impact on how I was made to feel, whether that was empowered or inadequate. 

I think back to the individuals who had the greatest influences on me during my adolescence. One of them happened to be my high school CTE teacher, Mrs. Butcher. Mrs. Butcher, a business teacher, was an African American woman who was old school. She provided tough love, structure coupled with high expectations. She demanded excellence, self-respect, and respect for others. She was also intentional about introducing her students to prominent African Americans in history, by highlighting their contributions and achievements in the classroom. One moment I recall most vividly was Mrs. Butcher sharing her copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X with me to read.

For the first time, I learned about his story in its totality, instead of a singular period of his life. I discovered his personal memories of how his grade-school teacher made him feel, when he shared his dreams and aspirations of becoming a lawyer, only to be told that it was not a realistic career pathway for him and was encouraged to pursue carpentry because he was Black. He never forgot how that made him feel and it served as one of the experiences that significantly impacted his life. To this day, the book remains one of the most influential books in my life.

At that moment, Black History became significantly relevant for me. It was less about the outcome of this individual and more about the journey and the process endured resulting in the figures we recognize in history today. The journey is where I became connected, hooked, and prompted my desire to want to learn more. In the world of education today, this would be defined as culturally relevant, and I credit Mrs. Butcher for some of those early practices. 

While Black History Month has been reserved to annually celebrate African American achievements in U.S. history, Black history is being made and witnessed by our students every day. History is being made in the neighborhoods students live in and beyond. However, our students also live in an America that still has its challenges, and may cause the celebrating of these achievements to at times seem narrow. Our students are left to feel both proud of the history of the past and aghast by what they see in the present day. Therefore, the onus remains on us collectively — educators, families, community leaders — to aid them in balancing this tension, while ensuring that celebrating Black history enables them to activate their potential ignited by the hope that they too can achieve success, amid challenges, just as the figures we honor.

It is often said that students can only be what they see. At NAF, we foster environments in which students can be engaged in career pathways and make meaningful connections with industry professionals, with role models that look like them. This often can make the biggest difference and offer the exposure, confidence, and access to a network of mentors, they will need to pursue the career of their dreams. 

Therefore, the more students who are exposed, particularly students of color, to individuals in history who have achieved greatness for the contributions and their stories, the better, as they can not only learn, but build a sense of pride to carry with them through their academic, professional, and life journeys.

When it comes to Black History Month, I encourage you to ask yourself the following: What is my commitment? What are the actions that I will take to contribute elevating the stories of African American contributors? Lastly, how do I want to leave others feeling after engaging with me?  

Celebrate #BlackHistory with your students by checking out NAF’s learning resource: https://ash.naf.org/public/learning/course/celebrating-diversity-across-the-network