February, also known as Black History Month to many, is the month to remind African-Americans of the history and accomplishments those before us achieved but each year I began to become more disappointed. I felt disappointed because the only event that was constantly talked about every Black History Month was slavery! I always thought that Black History Month was supposed to inspire us and make us proud of where we come from but instead each year we were constantly reminded of the pain our ancestors endured in their time. Certain parts of our history I didn't learn about until I was a young adult. For starters, I never knew about the history of Black Wall Street. I was also taught that the Black Panthers were a hate group but what I didn't know was that was far from the truth. The Black Panthers did many good things for the black community like providing jobs, food programs, and monitoring police behavior in black neighborhoods- and these are just a few events to name. On the bright side, there were people around who created history and I was able to witness it all.
Eloise Brown, one of my great-grandmothers may not have been known how Martin Luther King was but she was nothing short of being black and excellent in my eyes. Eloise, or Nana Brown for short, had her hands in all things creative and she kept me inspired. She was a natural-born teacher to those around her. She not only taught English but she also taught Art to Senior Citizens at the Hannan House located in Detroit, Michigan. My Nana Brown was just an all around creator. She created beautiful paintings, she sewed clothes, and she was also an author! Witnessing my great-grandmother and all of her achievements really inspired me. She inspired me to embrace the creativeness that lives inside of me and take matters into my own hands because that is what she did. My great-grandmother didn't wait around for doors to open for her, she created the doorway herself! She worked hard and used her 'god-given' talents to take her wherever she wanted to go- she created her own history.
Eloise Brown, one of my great-grandmothers may not have been known how Martin Luther King was but she was nothing short of being black and excellent in my eyes. Eloise, or Nana Brown for short, had her hands in all things creative and she kept me inspired. She was a natural-born teacher to those around her. She not only taught English but she also taught Art to Senior Citizens at the Hannan House located in Detroit, Michigan. My Nana Brown was just an all around creator. She created beautiful paintings, she sewed clothes, and she was also an author! Witnessing my great-grandmother and all of her achievements really inspired me. She inspired me to embrace the creativeness that lives inside of me and take matters into my own hands because that is what she did. My great-grandmother didn't wait around for doors to open for her, she created the doorway herself! She worked hard and used her 'god-given' talents to take her wherever she wanted to go- she created her own history.