On Friday, Jan. 31, Elizabethtown College’s Black Student Union club hosted a Black History Month Flag Raising. The event, sponsored by the Office of Civil Rights, Opportunity, and Access, was held at 4:30 p.m in the BSC Concourse and was free to all students. The flag raising featured a reading and speech from junior Schumy Pascal, and an original poem reading done by sophomore Kalen Tendo.
Pascal read a poem in French, titled: “Qui est vraiment l’homme de couleur?” The English translation is: “Who is the man of color?” The poem was written by Leopold Senghor, a former president of Senegal. He was a well respected poet, writer and statesman. This poem compares a black man, in this case Leopold, to a white man, who seemingly also has many colors throughout his lifetime. He asks the white man point blank:
“Alors dis-moi, de nous deux, qui est l’homme de couleur?”
The English translation is: “So tell me, of the two of us, who is the colored man?”
Schumy read the poem with great passion and pride. It was clear to students that this poem means a lot to her.
“My interpretation of this poem is for everyone to take a minute to look at themselves deeply, before judging others or thinking that we are inferior to others,” Pascal said. “Take a minute to look at your actions, and reflect if it is something you would do to yourself.”
After Schumy read Senghor’s poem, Tendo read an original poem about the American flag and what each color means.
“We can be a united force,” Tendo said.
Tendo then spoke on the importance of the month and why we should continue to celebrate it.
“I think that this month is about civil rights, and all the people who fought for freedom,” Tendo said. “It is about giving recognition to every single person who either died, or is still alive and still fighting to this day.”
The Office of Civil Rights, Opportunities, and Access strives to not only acknowledge, but celebrate an individual’s journey.
Black History Month originated with Carter G. Woodson. He chose the month of February because of tradition and reform in 1926. According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, an organization founded by Woodson, many believe that Woodson chose February to include the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
Black History Month started as only a week-long celebration, but in the 1960s, it shifted to a month-long celebration. By the mid-1970s, every president regardless of party endorsed proclamations endorsing the month-long celebration.
At Etown, the low population of minority students highlights the importance and need for Black History Month events and celebration. During this month, Black students and students of color come together to celebrate the power and paved freedom that February represents.
“I feel like Black History Month is a month of expression, and freedom without judgement,” senior Pamela Piña said. “It is a time where we can recollect our history and use it to move forward and right the wrongs of the past.”
This event was affiliated with the Black Student Union. The club is also known as Noir, a French word that means “Black” in English. They are all about feeling empowered, especially for black students. It is about creating an environment that strives for safety, equality and realness. The club hosts fun events for all students. Their most recent event was Black Jeopardy, where they had to guess different acronyms of “black slang.”
“I think it is important to have these events, especially in a predominantly white institution, where we have these explanations of what Black History Month is, and why we celebrate Black History Month. I think it is important for everyone to come together equally,” Pascal said.
Students can keep up with the latest events the Offices of Civil Rights, Opportunities, and Access has by following them on Instagram under the username @etowncivilrights.
“Throughout the whole year, we have a month to ourselves to recognize great leaders and people during Black History Month”, Pascal said. “I personally think we should have a longer month!”
