Sims encourages Cantonians to remember Black leaders

By Guest Columnist Daphne Johnson-Sims

According to the Library of Congress and the History Channel, Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. 

Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history. 

“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, But by all means, keep moving.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

“It takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today, we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little better than the one we inhabit today.”
- President Barack Obama

EDITOR’S NOTE: Daphne Johnson Sims is a former Alderwoman for city of Canton and community leader.