On a cold and windy February day, the Pan African Student Union members came together to celebrate the opening of African History Month. Although the winds were harsh, everyone stood together and watched as the African American Flag was raised in honor of their heritage and history. This celebration was founded by Carter Godwin Woodson in 1926. At that time it was called the Negro History Week; later it expanded into a whole month of awareness and celebration. The month of February was chosen to commemorate the birthday of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
On February 5, the Pan African Student Union as well as Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. began the ceremony of the month with the "I Have A Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Together, they all gathered in the University Atrium and listened to the words of Dr. King. "But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security of justice." As the words poured from the speakers, everyone stood in silence as they embraced the passion that could be heard. Each person's heart became light and heavy all at the same time. Dr. King's words have always had such a strong effect on its listeners. As the speech drew to its end, everyone inhaled the final words of Dr. King, "Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring - when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics - will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" Everyone there hoped that one day they would finally be able to exhale into freedom and equality.
As everyone walked out of the University Center and to the side of the building, we became prepared to raise the flag. As the flag began to rise, everyone sang the African American Anthem, "Lift Every Voice" while focusing their attention on the Red, Black and Green. The flag was developed by the members of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA) in 1920 under the leadership of Marcus Garvey. The Red stands for the blood that had and still unites the people of Africa and also the blood that was shed for Liberation. The Black stands for the Black people. The Green stands for the copious wealth of Africa. As the ceremony drew to an end, everyone walked away to their separate locations, but in their hearts laid the foundation and words of Dr. King as well as the hope for a new dream.
2008 Woodie Awards
