The importance of celebrating Black History Month all year long

From left, Dean Camille Nelson, the first Black female dean of the University of Hawaii Law School; Judge Bevanne Bowers, the first Black female judge in Maui County; and Attorney Leslee Matthews, the first Black president of the Maui County Bar Association. PHOTO BY THE HAWAII STATE JUDICIARY.
Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States, past and present. It is an opportunity to educate the public and celebrate the achievements of African Americans in all fields.
Black History Month encourages schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations and community service projects, establish history clubs, and host performances and lectures throughout the year.
On Maui, Black History Month 2023 began with the reading of a proclamation by County Managing Director Kekuhaupio Akana on behalf of Mayor Richard Bissen, Jr., declaring Jan. 16th Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Meeting at Dr. King’s Stone of Hope monument facing the county office building in Wailuku, organizers of the commemorative gathering were led by the African Americans On Maui Association (AAOMA) President Dr. Shirley Davenport, Vice President Leslee D. Matthews, Esq., and Board Members Dr. Ayin Adams and Bryant Neal. Also in attendance were Lei’ohu Ryder from Aloha in Action and Isabella Bissen, wife of Mayor Bissen.
The primary mission of the AAOMA is to enlighten and inform the community and the people of the State of Hawaii, nation and the world about the history, culture and experiences of people of African descent.
To achieve this goal, AAOMA promotes research, cultural exhibits, arts and scholarships, sponsoring a wide variety of programs.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is the regional resource for historical information on topics such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Black History Month, Juneteenth, Kwanzaa programs and more.
Their Maui affiliations include The Hawaii State Teacher’s Association, Maui United Buddhist Women’s Association, The Temple of Peace, Aloha in Action, and the International Peace Poem Project MLK.
“Today, AAOMA is a beacon of change and hope that is still surely needed in this world,” said Davenport. “There is a necessity to draw inspiration and guidance from the past. Through that inspiration, people will find tools and paths that will help them live their daily lives. Many people have been inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King’s oratory, commitment to racial justice, and his ultimate sacrifice.”
Maui resident Bryant Neal, founder of the nonprofit Arts Education for Children Group and its subsidiary Jazz Maui, is well-known for his annual performances on Oahu and Maui reciting a selected portion of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech for Black History Month, Dr. King’s birthday, and other occasions.
In addition, AAOMA celebrated Black History Month with community service programs, such as feeding meals to those in need, fundraising for students’ expenses, a presentation to Hawaii Job Corps-Maui Campus and other community events, which also include year-long commitments.
This year in February, AAOMA produced an online Cultural Awareness event featuring keynote speeches, prayers, poems and songs presented by Michael Oliver Armstrong; Osayande Baruti; Dr. Kathryn Waddell Takara; Rev. Dr. Ayin Adams; Dr. Shirley Davenport; Earl Sundance Shepperd; Lei’ohu Ryder; Bevanne J. Bowers, Esq. (the first Black female judge in Maui County); and Leslee Matthews, Esq., AAOMA Vice President.
The theme for 2023, “Cultivating a Beloved-Community Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems,” also happens to be the vision of Matthews herself.
Attorney, social worker and advocate, Matthews is the first Black president of the Maui County Bar Association and the immediate past president of the African American Lawyers Association of Hawaii. She serves as Special Counsel to the Judiciary.
Moreover, she is a lecturer at the University of Hawaii, where she earned her Juris Doctor Degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law.
“Each of the AAOMA guest speakers gave an overview of the importance of African American history, culture and education, bringing more awareness to what really matters: a community where love prevails,” said Matthews. “We need to keep working together and celebrating in the community. Community service is purposeful, joyful and intentional.”
Matthews is founder and managing attorney of Speak Out & Up Law, LLLC, her legal empowerment law firm rooted in Proverbs 31: 8-9, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.”
Her focus is on working to end violence against women and girls and enhancing services provided to underserved communities.
“Growing up on Maui, I always believed that the law should be used to do more helping than harming,” Matthews recalled.
“As an advocate for social justice, it is a blessing for my law firm to partner with members of the community, and to speak out for and elevate the voices of those who have been silenced. As vice-president of AAOMA, I hope to continue serving the community through nonprofit organizations, schools and whomever calls on us. From time spent planting and harvesting kalo, to helping restore native forests in Kahikinui, to spending time working in communities, I am so thankful for all the life lessons that ‘ohana along the way have taught me.”
AAOMA President Davenport began the online Cultural Awareness event with a short account of how Black History Month started.
“It can be traced back to 1926, when Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week,” she explained. “Woodson, a noted Black American Harvard-educated historian and scholar, also known as the Father of Black History, had several main goals when he established the commemorative week in February. He wanted to encourage social equity for African Americans by showing people how much of the country’s growth stemmed from Black contributions, not only through slavery, but also through countless creative, academic, professional, athletic, political and cultural contributions. Also, Woodson thought it is important to expose school children to African American history and culture.
“In 1976, President Gerald Ford extended the recognition to the whole month of February to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Black History Month enables all people to pause and focus on a more positive narrative of the Black culture as we look to successful Black business leaders, poets, musicians, scientists, philanthropists, politicians, artists and others, to mitigate the damage caused by the unfair depiction of Black Americans in the media. By collectively and consciously celebrating Black history, we come together and continue to rebuild the narrative of our diverse nation for our future generations.
Another speaker at the Cultural Awareness event, American poet Dr. Kathryn Takara, taught at the Interdisciplinary Studies Program at the University of Hawaii, where she received her Ph.D. in 1995.
Takara, who has published 11 books, read two poems from her book “Tourmalines: Beyond the Ebony Portal” and received extended applause.
On her Facebook page, Takara says, “Justice and freedom, compassion and service matter. Joy transforms, love heals.” Agreeing, Judge Bowers said, “As we celebrate this month, we know it is a 365-day commitment. We must continue to share knowledge. Our work is far from done. We need to share our mana and our history. So, I join in the acknowledgement of our past and where we must go. We must be vocal, be proud and share. I look forward to the work that we can do together in our Maui community.”
Each February, National Black History Month serves as both a celebration and a powerful reminder that Black history is American history. It is about celebrating and sharing knowledge — celebrating the contribution African Americans have made to our freedoms, our culture and our society.
“Even more important,” Davenport concluded, “Black History Month spotlights the importance of being an ally to marginalized communities, not only for 28 days in February, but for all 365 days a year.”