History shouldn’t be limited to just one month. If anything, appreciation for it should be present throughout the year. Black History Month serves as a special memoir for Black narration that has been suppressed throughout the years, shedding light on accomplishments that have been drowned in America despite all of the amazing contributions that have been made. Our campus has been earnest in their efforts to show their appreciation towards Black History in the month of February. But it’s important to remember: Black History doesn’t simply cease to exist once March 1st arrives. In order to show genuine appreciation, we need to look toward future generations, reaching out with helping hands of support and awareness that go beyond brief acknowledgement. It’s only a start, but our campus hums with multiple talented Black students who deserve accolades no matter what path they happen to take at Millsaps. In order to highlight the accomplishments of Black students on campus, we have to look at the organizations in which they belong to, so that we can truly show the appreciation they are due year-round.
To cultivate more appreciation for Black History and the students that have worked hard in their years, it’s vital to reflect on the prominent organizations on our campus. Here are a few that have grown to be key parts of the Millsaps experience, and I encourage you to keep an eye out to either join or show support for them:
- Black Athlete Empowerment (BAE)
- Millsaps Helping Hand
- The Pan African Student Alliance (PASA)
- NPHC Greek Letter Organizations
- Lighthouse Black Girl Projects
- Men Empowerment Network (M.E.N)
These organizations have done an excellent job in showing Black representation on campus in their efforts to our collegiate community, and for the Jackson community as well. I, for one, would like to extend my thanks to them for their hard work and ground-breaking accomplishments as student leaders, and can’t wait comes of their accomplishments henceforth. I urge our community to keep an eye out for their events, and to show support in any way, shape, or form. Appreciation for Black History is limitless in the Jackson area, and is definitely present in every step of the city. There are so many ways to show support with due research into Black culture, but we as individuals must be willing to do that research for ourselves.
I challenge the Millsaps community to join hands in their efforts to eradicate racial discrimination beyond February. Allyship shouldn’t be limited to a singular month either, just as how our efforts for the recognition of Black History should be appreciated throughout the year. Start your journey on our campus, looking into the organizations listed above, and keep an eye out for their events as a start. The rest of your journey may be different than the person sitting next to you, but it’s the start that counts.