Black Student Union honors the impact of African-Americans

GRAPHIC: Black History month aims to highlight the achievements of African-Americans throughout history, according to sophomore Houston McCray.

By Francesca Fannuchi,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

The Black Student Union (BSU) joined the country in celebrating African-American history during the month of February by launching a social media campaign “The Black Experience” to share different African-Americans’ experiences. 

BSU also hosted a keynote speaker as well as a movie showing during the month of February. LeShelle May, the visiting keynote speaker, spoke to the members of BSU about her life and experiences in the tech world as a computer engineer. May is the wife of current UC Davis chancellor Gary May, and worked as a senior software manager and developer for CNN for 21 years. 

BSU president Julian Johnson attended May’s talk at DHS on Feb. 15. “May urged black students to get involved in the tech field, saying that there is a lot of opportunity in this area for students to be successful,” Johnson said. “She also explained how her husband, Chancellor May, is hoping to lead the way for more black presence in the UC system.”

“Black History Month means honoring and celebrating the great Black people we have had in this world,” sophomore Houston McCray said. “At BSU we also celebrate Black History Month by talking about different traditions we all do.” 

According to junior Juan Muhiwre, Black History Month was created to tell black stories which are often obscured by white-centric society.

But Muhiwre feels that Black History Month doesn’t solve the issue.

“For us to move forward as a society and as people, Black History Month no longer needs to be a month but every single day of every single year,” Muhiwre said.

Members of BSU come together every Tuesday in P-11 to share their experiences with each other and the rest of the student body.

Junior Jiana Trottman views Black History Month as a time to bring up conversations that wouldn’t otherwise happen, as discussions about racial inequality can be uncomfortable for some people.  

 “Black History Month is for me and the black people of my community to feel united with each other,” Trottman said. “I love to talk about Black History Month with the people I love and it gives us a time to connect with each other and talk about black history.”

Senior Eryn Bonner treats Black History Month as a time of reflection but also as a time of inspiration.

“To me Black History Month is the appreciation and acknowledgment of Black lives. It is the recognition of people of color to show how they made a change to the world or tried to, people like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., the Little Rock Nine, Malcolm X and Dorothy Height,” Bonner said.

DHS senior Jaheim Cook also feels that Black History Month is a time for reflection and celebration. 

“Black History Month to me, is a time where African-Americans can take time to see what the people before them fought for. A time to rejoice, and celebrate and thank those African-Americans for giving us hope and life lessons,” Cook said. 

While Cook discussed Black History Month with his fellow BSU members, he says he hasn’t really discussed it with friends outside of the club.

Sophomore Gizaw Baker agrees with Muhiwre in that a month isn’t long enough to cover Black history.

“(The government) gave us the shortest month of the year. We should … change that,” Baker said.