SUBMITTED BY
Katina Rankin
As we enter the last days of February, we take a look at Black History Month, which is celebrated in February in the United States.
It’s a dedicated period to commemorate and honor the achievements, contributions, and history of African Americans. During the month people often highlight important figures and events that have often been overlooked in mainstream narratives.
Black History Month serves as a time to educate people about the struggles and triumphs of Black people throughout history and to promote understanding and appreciation for Black culture.
Such was the case for a recent pageant. Elaine Barnes has celebrated Black History Month for the past 27 years with a Heritage Beauty and Beau Pageant.
The theme of the event was “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” During the event, Barnes recited a poem by Dorothy Winbush Riley entitled “I’m Special.”
“The purpose of the annual event is to educate people about the significant contributions of Black Americans across various fields like science, arts, politics, and social activism,” said pageant organizer Barnes.
Black History Month originated as a "Negro History Week" established by historian Carter G. Woodson back in 1926.
President Gerald Ford officially designated February as Black History Month in 1976, expanding the celebration from a week to a full month.
In a proclamation, President Donald Trump wrote in part, “I want to extend my tremendous gratitude to Black Americans for all they have done to bring us to this moment, and for the many future contributions they will make as we advance into a future of limitless possibility under my Administration”
He went on to write, “NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 2025 as National Black History Month. I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.”
Black History Month is seen as a crucial opportunity to recognize the resilience and perseverance of Black people in the face of historical adversity.
Magee native Katina Rankin was asked to judge the Black History Pageant. Rankin, founder of the nonprofit Katina’s Klassroom, gifted each pageant participant with a book on behalf of the nonprofit.
The books were Emmett Till: Sometimes Good Can Come Out Of A Bad Situation, Medgar Evers: He Taught His Kids To Crawl So We Could Stand, and March On Children! The Story of James Meredith’s March Against Fear, The Peace Drum: A Kofi Tale, plus Born to Lead! The Thrilling Success Story of One of the Divine Nine: Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover.
“Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, and James Meredith are a vital part of Mississippi History, so the nonprofit wanted children to learn about their contributions to the Magnolia State,” Rankin said.
“The Peace Drum was based on the nonprofit’s mission trip to Jamestown, Ghana. It tells an important story of how the beat of a drum brings us all together and shows us we are more alike than different,” Rankin continued.
Carolyn McNair-Diamond was also a judge. She chose to take part in the event, she said, because people must know about Black Mississippians who made a mark on history.
When asked which ones, McNair-Diamond said, “Marie Selika Williams is the first Black musician to sing at the White House. Williams was a legendary soprano born in Natchez, Mississippi. James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla Township, Mississippi. James Meredith officially became the first African American student at the University of Mississippi.
She continued, “Leontyne Price, the legendary soprano, was born in Laurel. And, Simpson County’s own Katina Rankin was the first African-American woman to anchor the 6 and 10 p.m. newscast at Channel 16, the ABC affiliate in Jackson, Mississippi.”
Why was February chosen as the month to celebrate Black history? It has been said that February coincides with the birthdays of two important figures in the abolitionist movement: President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
