History months are needed. With over 3,000 cultures in the world, it is almost certain that some are completely unknown and underrepresented. History months provide an opportunity to explore  backgrounds and identities of various cultures and communities, while also recognizing marginalized voices. History months are necessary in order to commemorate the global contributions of various communities, which would be ignored in the absence of a designated month.

     Graham Bennett ’26 claims that “it’s important to shed light on groups of people who historically have not had their stories told. Itís important to dedicate time to focus on communities that are underserved.”

     Shoumili Tarafder ’26 says “it’s good to celebrate history and be more educated about the people around us.î The majority of people most likely do not have extensive knowledge about the history of various communities. History months provide an opportunity to become aware. “History months are a good way to learn more about other people and it helps me be more aware about the people around me,” said Tarafder.

     Bennett says a similar experience to Tarafder, explaining the impact that Black History Month had on him when he was younger: “I was able to learn things that I hadn’t been taught about before and it’s important to see people like me being covered in history class like they often aren’t.”

     Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially recognized the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries such as Canada and the UK also devote a month towards celebrating Black History.

     The NBA amasses millions of viewers each season. Every February, NBA Players wear warm-up shirts that celebrate Black history. This year’s shirts read “Built by Black History. Elevated by Black Voices.”

     Companies such as the NBA, should use their platform to spread awareness about history months. “The efforts that many companies make to take part in these history months to share stories and experiences…it plays a big role in creating awareness,” says Bennett.

     In 2023, Black players made up 70.4 percent of the league, a clear majority. In a league where a minority group is the majority, recognizing the player’s history is important, and can be done through these history months. The shirts recognizing Black History inform the public and NBA fans across the world about the importance of Black people and their contributions.