February is Black History Month. It’s not necessarily something that is mentioned much outside of school. A few blurbs will pop up during commercial breaks on television, but otherwise it doesn’t seem like there is a way to really recognize the month.

This past week the First Mississippi Chapter of Blacks in Government held its annual black history month program at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Auditorium. This year’s theme was Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories.

While the crowd was large and full of city officials including the mayor, president of the board of supervisor, police and fire chief, I wish it could have been even bigger because I think it is important to learn about the history of our nation. Black history is American history, or at least it should be.

The president of Tougaloo College, Beverly Wade Hogan, was the guest speaker at the program.

She spoke on the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She said possibly the greatest struggle for African Americans was to become educated, and when HBCUs were created they became almost a place of refuge and hope.

She said the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kan., in 1954 essentially hurt HBCUs. While white schools were forced to integrate, the HBCUs were losing students and many were forced to close because they were deemed segregated institutions. She said the mid-twenty century legislation still has repercussions of the twenty-first century HBCUs of today.

It’s a rather interesting predicament for the educational and legal system, and I have to say it’s something I have never really thought about. I’m glad I was able to attend such a thought provoking talk, and I intend to education myself more on the matter.

In addition to Hogan’s speech, there were other aspects to the program like a song performed by the Blacks In Government Choir. Also at the beginning of the program, attendees were asked to stand, look at their neighbor and say the BIG Covenant, which reaffirms the person as well as makes a promise to be there for each other. These are ideas everyone needs to hear, especially with a room full of people reciting the same words while looking each other in the eye.

The covenant states the person will see beauty, sense other’s power, celebrate potential, support, share, tell the truth, listen with heart, smile, comfort, care and confront each other. This is a powerful, uplifting message that would give everyone a little extra confidence if they carried it them on a daily basis.

With it being the last day of February, I’d like to give a special Happy Birthday to Brayden, Taylor, Gage and Joe Wayne who all celebrate their birthday on Leap Day! Get to know them a little bit better by reading my story on Leap Day in Monday’s edition of The Post.