Black Student Union congratulated for its celebration of Black History Month

Posted March 2021

By T Gedi

Staff Reporter

With COVID cases rising and social distancing encouraged, schools have been forced to get creative when showcasing events, so the Black Student Union (BSU) had to celebrate Black History Month in creative ways.

Virtual meetings will never hold the same weight as in-person events, but Black students successfully celebrated their history within the David Douglas community. The summer of 2020 was a difficult time for the Black community. America was forced to address its systemic anti-Blackness, and the Black Lives Matter movement gained traction after the death of Breonna Taylor (#SayHerName). Nonetheless, the Black community pushed forward and made the most out of February, the month dedicated to Black American History.

Schools around the district took several initiatives. Members of high school's Black Student Union created a virtual assembly. Several members of the club covered topics, such as the Black National Anthem, Black music, and Black celebrities. Actor Anthony Anderson and Portland Trail Blazer CJ McCollum made a surprise virtual appearance in the video. Last year, BSU brought McCollum to Douglas for an assembly, so having him appear a second time was quite the accomplishment.

To celebrate the final week of Black History Month, Black female staff members from various district schools prepared Black History Google Slides. The slides included small Black-owned businesses, Black authored books, podcasts, and a video of Black David Douglas staff reflecting on their careers. The district lacks Black representation amongst staff, so Black students appreciated seeing the stories of the few Black staff members.

Black History Month was followed by International Women’s Month. Black History Month was first celebrated in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson as “Negro History Week” and extended into a month-long celebration.