During the entire month of February, people use this time to recognize African Americans who made the United States a better place for people to live. Recognizing people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks is just some of the stuff Bowie does during ‘Black history month’.

Multicultural club sponsor Joyce Brisco helps her students plan an annual event at Bowie where throughout, the month students will have different events going on each day to recognize all of the people who made the month special.

“Sharing the enthusiasm of Black History month throughout the whole school makes me very happy,” Brisco said. “We will be having morning announcements every single morning over the P.A., have notable African Americans on the t.v.’s on the halls, power points that will be sent to teachers in specific classes, a soul food day in the cafeteria and southwest room, and Barbara Jordan essay writing U.I.L. competition where the winner can receive a $1500 scholarship.”

On January 18, Austin holds a march for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in which sophomore Kyndall Johnson participates in every year with her family.

“The march for MLK is just an amazing thing i like to participate in because he is such a great man who did so much to help our community,” Johnson said. “The march starts at the statue of MLK at U.T. and ends at the south steps of the capital where they have like vendors and other things set up.”

The events taking place on campus are all student driven with some help from Brisco to help top it all off.

“All the events that will be taking place are all student driven and all are things that the students want to do and participate in,” Brisco said. “Without the help from the club I wouldn’t be able to plan and do all this.”

For senior Corie Hall this month is special time where her family all get together and do some family bonding.

“During black history month my family and I take the time to bond and get closer,” Hall said. “My grandparents come over sometimes and my grandmother will tell stories about when she was younger and she would tell me that she remembers seeing signs that said colored and specific water fountains and bathrooms she could use.”

The Multicultural awareness co-president senior Ana Treuter has been helping Brisco during this process with the other co-president senior Ariana Edwards.

“Mrs.Brisco, Ana, and I come up with ideas for the event and the we pitch them to the club,” Edwards said. “I just like to recognize all of the many great things African Americans contributed to our country. We do not get much recognition of the many things we’ve invented and overcame and I enjoy seeing all generations become aware of these things.”

The main goal for Brisco is to inform the students and staff about historical African Americans but in an entertaining way.

“We are not going to be just informing students about African American like MLK to every class, we are going to be giving specific department powerpoints about their section,” Brisco said. “For example the culinary will be getting a powerpoint about famous African American chefs and the science department will be getting a powerpoint about notable African American scientists. The other thing that we hope gets noticed this year is the soul food day we will be doing in the cafeteria and in the southwest room where the club members will all help and we will have a soul food tasting for everyone on campus to try.”

Hall celebrates her culture through the music she listens to.

“I love to listen to music by Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Dreamgirls,” Hall said. “My grandma will bring out her old cd’s and records and we sit around on the couches listening to the music, singing, and just having tons of fun. It’s just a time where I feel like I make an even more special bone with my grandmother. ”

Black history month began to be celebrated 90 years ago in 1926 and has expanded from a week of celebration to a whole month dedicated to the event.