The City of Chino Hills has proclaimed February as Black History Month.
Accepting the proclamation during Tuesday’s Chino Hills city council meeting was Brianna Henderson, secretary of the Ayala High School Black Student Union.
The proclamation, read by Mayor Brian Johsz, states that Black History Month can be traced back to 1926 when Dr. Carter G. Woodson began the annual observance to correct the omission of African Americans from history books.
In 1976, the week-long commemoration was expanded to one month to celebrate the achievements of African Americans in the arts, civil rights, education, entertainment, government, history, music, politics, sports, and other endeavors.
“We encourage our residents to take the opportunity to become more knowledgeable about black heritage and to honor the many black leaders who have contributed to the progress of our nation,” read the mayor.
Ms. Henderson said it was an honor to accept the proclamation on behalf of the school’s Black Student Union.
She said the goals of the club are to promote leadership, community outreach and student empowerment.
“As a club, we want to bring awareness about being African American in today’s society,” she said. “We aim to teach others about diversity through our activities and club meetings,” she said.
“I believe Black History Month is important for students of my age as we pay our respect to those in the past who paved the way for us to have an opportunity to pursue our dreams, our educational future, career opportunities, and goals that have been shaped by African Americans,” she said.
Credit: Source link