February marks Black History Month, a time we dedicate to the learning of African American history and culture, and there is a lot to learn here in the Rio Grande Valley.
Community Historical Archaeology with Schools (CHAPS) Program Manager Roseann Bacha-Garza says one key part of Valley history was when U.S. Colored Troops were sent down to South Texas
“They were here to help secure the border…after the Civil War was over, they were in charge of restoring and/or reconstructing those forts around the border,” Bacha-Garza says.
Bacha-Garza continues by saying that after these forts were restored, these troops then stayed to protect the area from a possible Confederate resurgence.
CHAPS was established in 2009 and is an organization dedicated to preserving history in the Valley.
Black history in the Valley may not be well known but organizations like CHAPS make it possible to remember our past.
Bacha-Garza, says that learning this side of history is important if we want to unite ourselves as a community.
“If we can just broaden that understanding of who we are as a people,” she says, “I think that would create less fear and more understanding and compassion toward each other.”
Students at UTRGV such as Multidisciplinary Studies Senior Baffour Kyem agree with this notion and want people to better understand black history and culture not just to recognize the month of February, but to better understand the community and their contributions to the United States.
“I feel like it has to be recognized because without our culture / our history, I’m not sure how the United States would become the country that it is…,” Kyem says. “I feel like the country has made it to what it has become today all because of our history and our past.”
Black History Month will start Monday and run until March 1st.
Visit V-Link for a list of events celebrating Black History Month.
