TAMPA, Fla. — This Black History Month marks one hundred years of Black history commemorations.
Dr. Carter G. Woodson came up with the concept in 1926 as a weeklong celebration that later evolved into Black History Month.
What You Need To Know
Amanda Page, 100, has lived through a century of Black history
Page emphasizes the importance of knowing and preserving Black history
She reflects on progress and ongoing challenges for the Black community
A lot has changed since the first Black history observance, and one woman has been alive for it all. Amanda Page just celebrated her 100th birthday. These days she spends her free time at the Progress Village Senior Center. It’s a place where Black history lives on through the memories of people who lived it.
Page said she was born in 1925 in Como, Mississippi. Her family picked cotton as a sharecroppers. She eventually moved to Chicago where she worked for the treasury department and eventually the VA.
She said she saw the marches, got her voting rights, but still sees so much that needs to be done today. Especially learning about Black history.
“I just don’t know what’s gonna happen with the things going on as they are. It seems that we’re going backwards,” she said. “It’s important for them to know the history. What happened and how it happened and the progress that has happened. How important it is to keep protesting or it will not stop.”
Page said her path led her to Florida to be near her children and her newfound family at this senior center where Black history lives on through people like her and where it will be celebrated to the next 100 years.