Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Black History Month, celebrated from February 1 until March 1 each year, is an opportunity to understand Black histories, going beyond stories of racism and slavery to spotlight Black achievement.

Students at Goshen High School acknowledged Black History Month 2022 with the focus on Black achievements that are perhaps lesser known.

The students in representing classrooms claimed a person to represent and decorated a door celebrating the achievements of that person.

GHS student KJ Bristow said the purpose of the door decorating contest was to encourage students to learn more about those represented and to want to learn more about the achievements and contribution of Black Americans.

“There was information about those on the decorated doors but there is a lot more to learn about them,” Bristow said. “I want to know more than the information on the door. I think other students do, too.”

Bristow said he already knew some things about Jackie Robinson, the baseball player, but he didn’t know anything about Mary Fields, the stagecoach driver.

“She was a very brave and interesting person,” he said. “I would like to know more about both of them.”

The idea behind the closed doors was to spark interest in the Black Americans highlighted on the doors and to encourage interest in other Black Americans who have contributed to the growth and prosperity of America in many different was.

The award-winning doors were: First place, “Aaron Douglas (White) and Leland Melvin (Desandro); second place, Henery Thomas Sampson, Jr. (Calvin) and third place, “Jackie Robinson (Avan) and Mary Fields (Hester).