WS Chronicle

The Chronicle produces a Black History Month special section each year. We try to make it different every year. In the last few years, we have used our own staff resources to present information about Black History. One year we had a theme of The Arts and Media and asked people to answer a questionnaire. Last year we asked people to send us their remembrances of their old neighborhoods or even their current neighborhoods if they live in predominantly black ones.

This year we did a mixture of things, including asking youth to write essays on which African-American historical figure influenced them.

In previous years, the response was tepid. But this year when we asked youth to participate, five Boy Scouts stepped up to the challenge. Their leader, Deacon James Whitehead of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, complied by the deadline set.

The Boy Scouts ranged in grades from six to eight. They all wrote about African-American men who influenced them. Two wrote about former President Barack Obama. One wrote about Malcolm X. One wrote about Earl Lloyd, who was a player in the NBA. The other one wrote about Frederick Douglass.

How did these young men find out about the African-American men who influenced them? No doubt they read about them, in newspapers, books and magazines. They saw them in movies and on TV. The History Channel, National Geographic, American History Channel could be some places where they learned about these men.

The wonderful thing is that they learned about them. They are not in a vacuum, playing video games and not aware of the world around them.

We need to encourage youth to learn about Black History as they create Black History.

One part of the Black History Month special section that The Chronicle produced included summaries of movies and biographies of the real life “stars” who inspired the movies. This is a way to urge people to explore more about Black History.

Another new item we have this year is a Black History quiz with prizes for winners. We chose 10 Black History questions for the public to answer. The deadline is March 3. We ask that you bring the completed forms to us at 617 N. Liberty Street. We will choose winners from a drawing of people who answer 10 questions correctly. The prizes are from a local restaurant and specialty shop.

We want to keep making Black History exciting for the community as the people continue to explore Black History and make Black History.

We all know that we need to keep the accomplishments of black people in our minds to help us weather the current storms. Let’s pass on the information to the youth, to keep them motivated, too.

Let’s encourage the youth of today, for they will be the leaders of tomorrow.

Thanks, scouts of Boy Scout Troop 813 of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church.