By: PK Krentsil (’19), Staff Writer
“We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.” This month, we celebrate the achievements of African-Americans that changed this country’s history. From the distant past to this very moment, their accomplishments inspire us to continue the legacy of Black excellence. We asked a few people to talk about their favorite figure from Black History.
Morgan Newell, Sophomore
“My favorite figure in Black history is Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space. She carried herself with grace, had a lot of passion, and paved the way for all young African-American women with big dreams.”
Alton Peques, First-year
“My favorite figure in Black history is Roland Fryer. He’s an economist, researcher, and the youngest African-American to get tenured at Harvard. I discovered his work in high school and it greatly influenced my academic path. He came from a troubled home to become successful, so it’s very inspiring.”
Jeremy McKellar, Senior
“My favorite black history figure is Muhammad Ali. He was a trendsetter and somebody who always stuck to his word while believing in himself and his people. Even in the face of adversity, he stayed true to who he was. I also look up to him as a sports figure, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jim Brown, because they realized their position and used it to be a voice for their people.”
Summer Holmes, Senior
“I’m a big hip-hop fan, so I have to say Lauryn Hill. She wasn’t just an artist but an activist who really shed light on the problems facing black people. Not only that, but she’s an amazing artist. She’s not about the mainstream, but about people embracing their natural selves and not limiting themselves. I really relate to her.”
Josiah Evans, Sophomore
“My favorite figure from Black history is W.E.B DuBois. For one, he reminds me much of myself in that he was a prolific thinker of the Black community for his time period and beyond. I find that many of his writings and theories have both doctrinal and practical implications. He is also a prime representation of Black excellence in being the first African-American to graduate with a PhD from Harvard. He went about trying to uplift the Black community and did not just serve his own self-interest.”
Geoffrey Bell, First-year
“Daisy Bates is one of my favorite figures from the Civil Rights Movement. I like her in part because she’s not one of the names you hear all the time or one of the ones that people first think of when they think of the Civil Rights Movement. But Bates played a major, key role in integrating public schools and helping the Little Rock Nine be able to attend school. She and her husband were also both journalists and ran a newspaper together. I think there’s a lot to value in the fact that she had a part in helping blacks in her community become informed about ongoing events in a climate full of obstacles obstruction of the truth.”
