{"id":183017,"date":"2026-02-18T14:31:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:31:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/183017\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T14:31:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:31:21","slug":"black-history-month-reflections-the-oakland-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/183017\/","title":{"rendered":"Black History Month reflections \u2013 The Oakland Post"},"content":{"rendered":"

Black History Month<\/a> provides time for reflection, celebration and visibility across Oakland University\u2019s campus. While February highlights black history nationally, students, faculty and campus leaders said the meaning of the month extends beyond symbolic recognition. <\/p>\n

Across campus, Black History Month is viewed as both a celebration of achievement and a reminder of ongoing responsibility. Students and faculty emphasized the importance of recognition that continues throughout the academic year.<\/p>\n

Student perspectives on community and visibility<\/p>\n

For Aniyah Stinson, a junior majoring in general management, Black History Month represents joy, resilience and black excellence rather than a focus solely on historical injustice. Stinson said the month highlights the strength of black communities and shared cultural experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlack history to me means joy and black excellence,\u201d Stinson said. \u201cIt\u2019s about showing how we prevailed and that we\u2019re more than what happened to us back then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stinson said Black History Month emphasizes the importance of community on campus. Moments of connection, laughter and cultural pride were described when black students came together.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we get together, there\u2019s definitely joy and a lot of community going on,\u201d Stinson said.<\/p>\n

While the month holds personal significance, Stinson said campus recognition of black history feels limited outside of February. Much of the cultural celebration comes from student organizations rather than university-wide initiatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, it\u2019s not recognized enough, sometimes it feels like it\u2019s just shown to prove diversity instead of actually celebrating it all year,\u201d Stinson said.<\/p>\n

Stinson referenced a recent event hosted by a historically black sorority in collaboration with the Center for Multicultural Initiatives<\/a>. Conversations during the event addressed challenges related to funding, visibility and sustained engagement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a conversation about how hard it is to do things consistently when there\u2019s a limited budget,\u201d Stinson said. \u201cIt feels like students are the ones really showing appreciation more than the university itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite these challenges, Stinson pointed to student-led organizations such as the African Student Union<\/a> and Divine Nine fraternities and sororities<\/a> as consistent sources of cultural celebration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose organizations are always doing something,\u201d Stinson said. \u201cASU has a whole week of events and a lot of students really show up for those.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dwaine Watkins, a senior majoring in sociology, said concentrating black history into a single month limits understanding. Watkins said black history should be recognized as an essential part of American history rather than separated into its own category.<\/p>\n

\u201cI honestly think Black History Month shouldn\u2019t exist because putting everything into one month, especially the shortest one, doesn\u2019t make sense to me,\u201d Watkins said. \u201cBlack history is a part of American history, including everything that has happened since the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watkins said separating black history into a single month leads to disengagement once February ends. Broader discussion throughout the year was emphasized.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter this month, nobody really cares about it anymore,\u201d Watkins said. \u201cNot saying it should be in everyone\u2019s face all the time, but it should be mentioned way more than it is now,\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Watkins said many people remain unaware of the influence black innovation has had on modern society.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people don\u2019t know that a lot of things today were invented by black people,\u201d Watkins said. \u201cPeople have to wait until February just to maybe hear about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watkins said recognition does not need to be elaborate to be meaningful.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be big,\u201d Watkins said. \u201cSomething as simple as a poster, a banner or acknowledgement around campus would make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Year-round recognition and student leadership<\/p>\n

Isaiah Noel Howell, a third-year criminal justice student, said Black History Month highlights black contributions to society and perseverance in the face of inequity. Howell said black history should be understood as an ongoing movement rather than something confined to a single month.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo me, Black History Month means highlighting black individuals\u2019 contributions to the advancement of society,\u201d Howell said. \u201cIt serves not only as a reminder but also as a testament to black perseverance in the face of inequity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Howell said educational institutions have a responsibility to recognize black history throughout the academic year.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important not to think of black history as a moment but rather as a living movement that cannot be confined to a single month,\u201d Howell said.<\/p>\n

Howell said Oakland University demonstrates that commitment through programming and campus initiatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can proudly say that Oakland University supports and recognizes black history and culture throughout the year,\u201d Howell said.<\/p>\n

Howell pointed to campus events and initiatives that reflect that support.<\/p>\n

\u201cMLK Day of Service, supporting black vendors in the Oakland Center, honoring Juneteenth<\/a>, the Black Alumni Chapter<\/a> and the Black Excellence Student Success Celebration<\/a> make me proud to call Oakland University my academic home,\u201d Howell said.<\/p>\n

Leadership responsibility beyond February<\/p>\n

Marcus Johnson, student body president of Student Congress<\/a>, said Black History Month carries both personal and institutional responsibility. Johnson said the month reinforces the importance of representation and advocacy within student leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, Black History Month is both a moment of reflection and a reminder of responsibility,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cAs a black student, it is a time to honor generations of resilience, brilliance and sacrifice that made my presence in spaces like Oakland University possible,\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson said black history is reflected in everyday experiences navigating institutions not originally built with black students in mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs student body president, Black History Month reinforces the importance of representation and advocacy within student leadership,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cIt challenges leaders to ensure black students are not only celebrated symbolically but meaningfully supported through policy, access and opportunity,\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson said Oakland University has made progress in supporting black students through cultural programming, student organizations and academic initiatives. Continued accountability was emphasized.<\/p>\n

\u201cSustained commitment matters more than momentary recognition,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cContinued investment in black student success, leadership development and institutional accountability is essential,\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Black excellence and inequity in STEM<\/p>\n

Richard Olawoyin, a professor in STEM fields at Oakland University, said Black History Month holds dual significance. Olawoyin said the month highlights intellectual achievement while exposing ongoing inequities.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlack History Month in STEM for me has always been a two-faceted event, celebrating the intellectual brilliance of black people while reflecting on persistent inequities,\u201d Olawoyin said.<\/p>\n

Olawoyin said black pioneers have shaped science, engineering and technology in ways that are often overlooked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe influence of black minds in the advancement of the modern world is beyond measure,\u201d Olawoyin said. \u201cYet many still enter systems where their abilities must be constantly proven,\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Olawoyin said mentorship, opportunity and recognition remain essential components of progress.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile talent is everywhere, opportunity and recognition are not,\u201d Olawoyin said. \u201cBlack History Month reinforces a responsibility to create avenues that give future generations influence rather than just access,\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Olawoyin said institutions must move beyond symbolic recognition.<\/p>\n

\u201cSupporting black excellence in STEM and academia requires sustained commitment,\u201d Olawoyin said. \u201cThat includes partnerships with K-12 schools, early pathways to STEM and meaningful support for black organizations on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n

International perspectives within the black diaspora<\/p>\n

Marieme Samb, a third-year health science major with a concentration in holistic health, said Black History Month represents both celebration and complexity. Samb, a Keeper of the Dream award<\/a> recipient and an active member of the African Student Union<\/a> at Oakland University, said growing up in Africa shaped a different understanding of race than experiences in the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving grown up in Africa, I did not grow up constantly thinking about race the way I do now in the United States. Here, I am often first seen as a black Muslim woman before anything else,\u201d Samb said.<\/p>\n

Samb said learning about the historical construction of race reshaped how institutions are understood.<\/p>\n

\u201cLearning that race is not a biological reality but a social and political creation changed the way I see many systems in this country,\u201d Samb said.<\/p>\n

Samb said Black History Month creates space for visibility while highlighting differences within the black diaspora.<\/p>\n

\u201cI deeply admire the way achievements are honored and how cultural heritage is uplifted,\u201d Samb said. \u201cAt the same time, I am still navigating the gap between how I define myself and how I am identified here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Samb said Oakland University makes efforts to recognize black history beyond February.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone involved in campus leadership and planning committees, I see firsthand the work that goes into creating programming that highlights black voices year-round,\u201d Samb said.<\/p>\n

As Black History Month continues, students, faculty and campus leaders emphasized the importance of year-round recognition. Advocacy, mentorship and sustained investment were identified as central to the future of black history and excellence at Oakland University.<\/p>\n