WSV’s Aundrea Sayrie writes, “Birthed out of a need to preserve the history that had too long been purposely manipulated, Black History Month has always been accompanied by controversy. However, it provides a unique opportunity to center Blackness outside of the context of conflict or conflict resolution. Due to erasure through whitewashing and omission there is a ton of Black history that is not taught in schools, so it is also a time for enlightenment, acknowledgement, and engaging conversations between strangers and friends.”