Lifestyles / Education
Black History Month

Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela and Michael Jackson are all legendary black icons who have embraced us with revolutionary events in the past forty years. They have inspired and influenced the lives of many in some shape or form. Every year, black history month is our chance to celebrate and promote the wonderful works that these legends have fought for.

Since slavery was abolished in 1833, many black icons had fought for equal rights. Activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. highly exposed the fact that black people were not treated as equally as every other race should be through peaceful marches and public speeches. This led to the involvements of other activists such as Rosa Parks (Bus Boycott) and Nelson Mandela who were both imprisoned for rebelling against the laws and fighting for what they believe in.

As well as activists causing a cultural revolution, many other black icons’ output has developed the entertainment world we now appreciate. For example, Scott Joplin was a famous black musician who without his famous “Ragtime” piece, many genres of music (such as Hip-Hop and Pop) would not have developed as they have today. As well as great musicians influencing the music world, many comedians and actors such as Chris Rock and Chris Tucker have created a boom in the black entertainment world.

Although black history month only lasts a limited four weeks, it should never be forgotten. Without the likes of Martin Luther King Jr, many of us would be trapped in a world of endless suffering and conflict. Every single person should be grateful and rejoice for those who have fought, died, suffered and survived in aid for future generations to live on in a peaceful world. For this, black history month shouldn’t be celebrated and appreciated annually but rather every single day of the year.