February is a time for nationally recognizing and celebrating African American contributions to history and society. This month, the Black Student Union (BSU) took on the task of promoting and educating the Stone Bridge community on the importance of African American culture.
The school’s BSU, founded in the spring of 2023, has consistently maintained a membership of about 60 students. This number, though unchanging, is not a reflection of the work of the club, but rather the already low population of Black students at the school, with percentages falling around 7.1%.
BSU has provided many students with the opportunity to come together and feel a stronger sense of community and understanding.
“Everyone just kind of feels like a family throughout BSU,” freshman and club member Hayden Armon said.
From the 300 hallway windows to the library bulletin boards and the intercom for morning announcements, students can recognize the numerous measures the club has taken to fill the school with information about several aspects of Black history and culture. The history hallway, in particular, exhibits designs ranging from quotes by political activists, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X, to lists of influential Black musicians, inventors, and actors, and even acknowledgements of Black staff members here at the building. The club does a tremendous job of providing its members with meaningful work while bringing the school together.
“My favorite part about all of it, and especially with things like getting to sell BSU bracelets and t-shirts, is that we’ve been able to get people of other races involved and included in Black History Month,” freshman and BSU member Malak Issa said.
In the coming week, on Friday, Feb. 21, students school wide can also look forward to an assembly from policy analyst Christian Collins and special guests Bellen Woodard and Skylar Johnson to focus on this year’s Black History Month theme of “African Americans and Labor.”
Although only one month of the year has been designated to celebrate the achievements of African American history, it is imperative to appreciate year round the advancement and enhancement that African American individuals have brought to our society. One way that students can do this is by taking courses to study world and U.S. history through the lens of African Americans.
As of the 2021-2022 school year, Stone Bridge has offered an Honors African American History class. As outlined in the LCPS Program of Studies, the course examines African American history from pre-colonial Africa through the present. The class explores how events such as the transatlantic slave trade, the Civil War, Emanicpation, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights era have affected African Americans.
“I realized I needed to be more educated on the real African American history not being taught in schools,” senior Mejd Hutchison, who is currently enrolled in Honors African American History, said. “It has really helped me open my eyes to not only the depth and roots of racism in our country, but also the great contributions made by African Americans to our country. I was able to learn a lot about parts of our history that aren’t talked about enough.”
The school will start offering AP African American History during the 2025-2026 school year, allowing for non-Black students to increase their knowledge of other cultures’ history, and for Black students to connect more deeply with their own culture and background.
“Sometimes I worry that [history] is somewhat one sided,” BSU sponsor and history teacher Carla Davis said. ”We need a full picture of everyone’s history, really—not just African American history—to be well educated people.”
Both BSU and the African American History classes provide a space for Black and non-Black students to come together, learn about one another, and help their community. Ms. Davis hopes that in the future, all participants can expand the programs and their mission to support students of all races and ethnicities.
“I wish everybody felt comfortable enough to consider joining,” Ms. Davis said. “I wish we could help everybody understand that the club is for anyone who cares about making a difference in their community and just being more comfortable and relaxed with other people, learning more about other people and their culture.”
