History and Impact of Black Culture--Emmanuel Ishola

Black is beautiful: Black culture encompasses far more than what is seen on social media or perhaps in the news. It's about a lot more than Black Lives Matter, or incarceration. It's much more than the negative connotations of blacks that are often depicted and stereotyped in the United States. From the impact in music stemming from the development of today's most renowned genres of music: R&B, and hip-hop, to the influence in fashion, dancing, trends, slang, and so on. In reality, black culture has revolutionized the world in various facets of life.

When it comes to music, the history of black culture extends back to when Africans were brought to the United States, resulting in slaves developing their own musical styles, which eventually evolved into gospels and blues. The contribution of Black culture doesn’t end in music. Fashion is also a category of the American culture that the Black culture has spilled over. Lastly, there's dancing, a form of communication that originated about 200 years ago as a method for slaves to communicate.

Even with the gruesome racism, segregation, pain, and horror which we know of, the history of black culture also constitutes the happy moments such as Jackie Robinson becoming the first MLB player, the civil rights movement leading up to the rise of the nation bests civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King, and even President Barrack Obama’s presidency. We see greatness all around us. From revolutionary engineers across the United such as the legendary Elijah McCoy, Shirley Jackson, to the best surgeons to grace the planet such as Dr. Scott Whitaker and Dr. Rovenia "Ro" Brock, and much more, and even educators.

Black is greatness, we’ll rise in any and every situation we find ourselves in. That is black culture; that is black history. It isn't simply about the horrific and brutal aspects. It's the joy, the innumerable achievements, and so much more. Regardless of the circumstances, we will thrive. That is who we are. We are the pinnacle of excellence.