Long Beach celebrates Black History Month

“This month is important for African Americans — it gives many a sense of pride,” said Ar-Rahman Buskey, program director of the Martin Luther King Center.

“It’s important to let our kids know the struggles our forefathers and mothers went through to have the freedom today.”

This February, many residents across Long Beach are celebrating Black History Month, commemorating influential figures in African American culture — from the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Rosa Parks — while remembering the civil rights movement.

Buskey, who has been with the MLK Center since March, explained that the center is focused on educating the youth not only during February but also throughout the year.

Black History Month, he explained, goes beyond children learning about their history, but also understanding its significance and how it relates to them in today’s society.

“We have mathematicians, doctors, lawyers. We have our first African American President, Barack Obama, in the White House,” Buskey said. “I want to talk about others who have done something for the community, not just for African Americans, but the human race.”

During the center’s after-school program — which currently includes 50 children — students are constantly engaged in academic and cultural learning after completing homework assignments. On Mondays, students participate in reading and writing exercises, Wednesdays focus on mathematics, and Thursdays can be a combination of both. Tuesdays, Buskey said, are specifically geared toward African American studies.

“Kids in our program are doing better,” he said. “They’re very interested. They’re learning things that aren’t being taught in the public schools. It’s been a positive return.”

On Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m., the MLK Center will host a cultural event in honor of Black History Month, which will consist of performances by MLK steppers and dancers. Two dance groups, ages five-eight, and nine through 13, will perform. In addition, 20 students will also participate in a play focusing on Ida B. Wells-Barnett, a woman’s rights activist, journalist and teacher who spoke out on racial issues, a civil rights pioneer and one of the founders of the NAACP.