By Brianna Wallen
News Editor
Black History Month continues to be a time of reflection, pride and conversation for many college students. However, their reactions to this year’s level of celebration on campus reveals a mix of empowerment and frustration.
While students recognize that the month highlights culture and progress, some students believe that the recognition on campus is very minimal.
“I feel like this is a great month. We celebrate people that look like us, and we’re finally in the limelight, and the focus is on us,” sociology major Amayia Roach, a senior, said.
Roach said the month allows Black students to feel centered and appreciated in spaces where their background and influence are often overlooked.
“I think that a lot of people don’t appreciate the culture that we bring and who we are,” Roach said.
Roach also stressed the difference between appreciation and appropriation, by emphasizing that their culture should be respected and not rebranded.
“It’s one thing to appreciate our culture, but to take it and try to rename it is completely different. If you can’t appreciate it, just leave it alone,” Roach said.
Roach added that she hopes the month encourages pride among students of color and education for others.
“I hope people of color realize how special they are and how much culture and creativity is within us,” Roach said. “I also hope non people of color can celebrate us and get a glimpse of who we are.”
Public health and nursing major Mia White, a junior, shared a similar sense of pride and emphasized the educational importance of the month for the entire campus community.
“Black History Month is very empowering and necessary for people of other races to understand the background of African Americans,” White said.
White connected the celebration to access to higher education, by noting that Black people were denied admission to many colleges and universities.
“Being able to attend a university is a direct reflection of what our ancestors fought for,” White said.
White believes Black students should take an active role in sharing their history.
Not all students felt the month was fully embraced. Communication major Maine Gunzell, a sophomore, questioned why Black history is only highlighted in February.
“The school system shouldn’t be trying to separate us by only talking about us for one month,” Gunzell said.
Gunzell also said the visibility felt inconsistent, as he mentioned that the momentum of which Black History Month was celebrated did not last throughout the month.
“It was only at the beginning of BHM and then a little at the end. It kind of disappeared in the middle,” Gunzell said.
He emphasized that recognition should extend beyond February.
“I feel like we should be appreciated year-round instead of just one month because after February, it’s like we just go about our lives, and we just move on to other things,” Gunzell said.
Nursing major Karmen Pilgrim, a freshman, also expressed disappointment with the level of visibility and programming on campus.
“The clubs should be involved more because I’m not seeing a lot of events on campus,” Pilgrim said.
Pilgrim said decorations in Connecticut Hall alone are not enough to make students feel recognized.
“I don’t feel seen,” Pilgrim said.
Since this is Pilgrim’s first time experiencing Black History Month at the university, she had high expectations and was let down by the outcome.
“I thought there would be tabling events that give out free products for Black hair and more fun events,” Pilgrim said.
Although Black History Month remains meaningful and empowering for many, there is a desire from students for stronger programming, broader participation and recognition all year-round.
“It’s a good amount of us here, so I would have appreciated more representation,” Pilgrim said.
