by Sophie Heller ’19 and Sophie Kim ’19
Black Leadership and Cultural Club (BLACC) members presented monumental figures in black history to the student body during February assemblies in honor of Black History Month. On Feb. 1, “BLACC PRESENTS” was opened by introducing freedom fighters Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln and describing origins of the holiday.
The second week covered student activism. In the third week, the club explained the Black Lives Matter movement and its importance. This upcoming Monday, there will be one last assembly investigating black resistance in response to racism today.
“You’ll hear about all of these young people who saw injustice and segregation and really started to be active and fight for change,” BLACC sponsor and seventh grade dean Jon Carroll said.
Members of the BLACC club hope the audience will recognize contributions of black figures that impact the entire society and not just the black community.
“We’re trying to figure out ways to raise more awareness about black problems right now in society,” BLACC member Vanessa Payne ’19 said.
Students seemed to appreciate the presentation.
“I gained some knowledge about Black History Month, its origins and why it’s so important to America and our culture,” Kerry Neil ’19 said.