A Celebration of BLACK The History
at Incarnate Word Academy
Due to a lack of information on the accomplishments of Black people available to the public, historian Carter G. Woodson co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (1915). In 1926, the group declared the second week of February as “Negro History Week” to recognize the contributions of African Americans to U.S. history. Prior to this week, Black history was not only not spoken of, it wasn’t included in textbooks. So why was February chosen…..because in this month both former U.S. president Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass celebrate their birthdays. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, and Douglas was a prominent activist, author and orator. After the creation of this week, schools began to recognize this celebration. Negro History Week officially became Black History Month in 1976 when U.S. former president Gerald Ford decided to extend this recognition to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history”. Since then, Black History Month has been celebrated in February. At IWA we believe it's important to celebrate and honor the rich cultural heritage, accomplishments and struggles that are undeniably a part of America’s history. This month we salute our Black ancestors who came before us and helped shape our country to what it is today.
ents v E f o r e d Calen All-Campus Liturgy
( Sources : aljazeera.com , history.com, asalh.org )
All Red Knights will gather for Mass in the Theater at 10:00am. Mass will be celebrated by Rev. Arthur J. Cavitt, Executive Director of the St. Charles Lwanga Center.
Culture : The pattern of daily life learned consciously and unconsciously by a group of people. These patterns can be seen in language, governing practices, arts, customs, holiday celebrations, food, religion, dating rituals, and clothing.
African American : Refers to the ethnic group of Americans who come from African descent. Black : Any various populations that have a dark pigmentation of skin who identify as Black, including those in the African Diaspora and within Africa. Should be capitalized.
Diversity : The wide variety of shared and different personal and group characteristics among human beings.
Movie Night : "The Hate You Give" Watch the movie beforehand, and then on February 10, gather in room C402, during mods 7-10, to join with other Red Knights in a discussion called Unpacking "The Hate You Give"
Black Health and Wellness Workshop Join with other Red Knights in room C402, during mods 7-10, for a workshop that provides education, inspiration, and resources on the topic of Black Health and Wellness.
Book Club : "Calling My Name" by Liara Tamani "You must give your own story to the world" Carter G. Woodson 1875-1912
Read the book beforehand, and then on February 28, join with other Red Knights at 4:00pm to discuss the book during a virtual book club meeting on Zoom.
“If you put in good, you receive good”CarlyRae Lewis, Class of 2022
D.E.I Salutes IWA’s 2022 MLK Model of Justice Award Recipient: CarlyRae Lewis
2022 MLK Model of Justice Award Recipient
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Model of Justice Award is given annually by the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Incarnate has taught me to make a positive impact on our world and to follow the example of Jesus. Change starts with self, then flows into community. Service is coming together to reach a common goal, and leadership brings them all together to lead the way of achieving goals through unity and collaboration. Community engagement is important in the fight of creating a more equitable society. I fell in love with the notion of serving others when I was eleven. My grandmother and I visited Goodwill on a regular Saturday. We enjoyed thrifting and donating our clothes. “We don’t want anyone to be cold this winter baby” she would say. I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait! I extended my arms out and pulled as many jackets off the rack as I could flinging them into the basket. I like assisting others whenever feasible. “If you put in good, you receive good” my grandmother always said. That is the motto that my family lives by because we believe that life is a cycle and that good comes to those who do good. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Model of Justice Award is given annually to a worthy charitable organization and high school students who have shown a dedication to assisting mankind in the greater society through their attitude and effort. The students have dedicated themselves to “the noble battle for equal rights” and have made justice a major element of their lives. I have dedicated over 260 volunteer hours throughout my high school career; and receiving this award made me realize that it is my passion to help others. I am certain that I am called to assist others in any manner that I can.
Reminders! "Calling My Name" by Liara Tamani Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
"The Hate You Give" directed by George Tillman Jr If you’re interested in contributing to the DEI Digest, please contact Sunnie E. Hughes, Director at shughes@iwacademy.org for more information.