Do lackluster events of the past and unmotivated students make Black History Month at Winston-Salem State University feel like just another day on campus?
“The month of February does not make a real impact on me,” says Lakesha Gravely, a junior at WSSU. “I cannot recall one event from last year that stood out to me and made me think, ‘Wow, this is what it is like celebrating my history on the campus of an HBCU.'”
While some students may feel that the month of February has little or no significance on campus – with monotonous events and lack of participation – others would like to see it become more meaningful.
When asked if events taking place during Black History Month mean anything to him, junior Danny Harris said that the events do mean a lot. However, considering the reasons for which minorities celebrate Black History Month, he observed, students do not come together enough for it to matter.
“The students never come out and support the events that take place. They do not understand that the student body tries to bring Black History Month to us in order for us to have a chance to participate,” he said. “But if it is not a party, or something that appeals to everyone, then no one shows. It is pretty sad, especially since we are at a HBCU.”
Some students say that lack of interest among their peers is a problem, while others think that a major problem lies within other parts of the university.
“My teachers never comment on the fact that it is Black History Month, nor do they incorporate that into our environment during the month of February,” says Shawntivisa Belk, a junior at WSSU. “It is bad enough that we do not recognize our history all year, every year, but when it does come around, our staff acts like it does not matter; more specifically, people who are not the minority.”
So when February rolls around, where will you be? What will you participate in? Whatever your decision is, this month will offer opportunities to celebrate the past, serve as a guidepost to the present, and represent the hope that WSSU brings to the future.