Black History Month Program
By: Kayla Moseley
Tori Green, Cyann Burkhart, LaTasha Hill, Trinity Davis, Austin Brown, Elijah Hickerson |
On February 26 at 12:15pm in the
Math and Science building on the Paris Junior College campus, the African American
Student Union hosted the Black History Month program. The Program included
singing spirituals, poems, history of gospel music. Guest speakers where
included and the event was open to the public. The purpose of the AASU is to
bring cultural awareness to the PJC campus and Lamar County (surrounding area).
AASU members stood and lead the
pledge called This Flag of Mine. Then we had prayer by Elijah Hickerson and
Welcome by Austin Brown. A poem was presented by Tori Green and Kayla Moseley
called Lord Why Did You Make Me Black. This poem was relevant for the Black History
Month program because it showed the feeling and the emotion of being black and
taking pride of the color of their skin.
TRIO Director Ashley Jones, Staff and PJC students |
Rev. Lance Mann |
LaTasha Hill and Rev Lance Mann |
Then the members of AASU sang a
song called Jesus Loves Me, the members remixed it to newer version the
audience seemed to really enjoy. Singing songs for Black people was their way
to communicate during the slavery days, to show this in modern day everyone
joined and sung Every Praise by Hezekiah Walker. The AASU members led Lift
Every Voice and Sing while everyone joined in. Lift Every Voice and Sing is the
Black National Anthem by James Weldon in the 1900. It was written about the
celebration of Lincoln because he helped the African American achieve freedom
from slavery.
Rev. Lance Mann was the guest
speaker he spoke about how the college students needed to make up their minds
today on what they wanted to be and do in life. “When your body fails you, you
will still have your mind.” In other words, never give upon the goal you set in
life for yourself. Believing in yourself and whatever you set your mind on you
can achieve.
In conclusion of this black history
month program, learning about the history is not only fun but also very
important.