Black History Month Program

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.