The month of February in the US is dedicated to celebrating and acknowledging black history. It helps encourage and remind many people across our nation of all the great accomplishments by African Americans throughout our history. This month is a time to pause and reflect on all the great things that this country has seen African Americans stride through. We have seen them go from the oppression of slavery to the President of the nation. They have blasted through walls and enriched American culture through music, fashion, sports, art, dance, and so much more. Some great icons from this community are Ruby Bridges, the first African American girl to go to an all-white school after segregation,  Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers in history that spread his message of black pride, Louis Armstrong, a famous black musician during the 1920s that achieved greatest and overcoming poverty, racism, and help create a new form of music, Maya Angelou, a poet and civil rights activist, and so many others. 

There is a sad history behind many African Americans that live in our country at the moment but there are also so many stories of how they persevered and achieved what may have seemed impossible less than 80 years ago. America has witnessed a lot of “first” for the black community. Like the first black Major League Baseball player or the first black President or even the first back rocket scientist. The stories of these people are inspiring and motivational to anyone that wants to “rise up” from where they are in their life right now.

African American culture has impacted America’s culture in so many ways, yet many may not always take time to think and appreciate it.