WesternSlopeNow celebrates Black History Month
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – Black Citizens and Friends President David Combs states, 'Without Black History, we would not have complete history.'
While February is known for Valentines Day, it is one of the many months to celebrate history and that is Black History Month.
Our Town Matters CEO Tonya Maddox states, 'But I believe just the opposite is important. So when we set aside time to remember these historical facts, then we allow ourselves to let people know that, yes, we understand where we came from, and we know we never want to go back there.'
Western Slope Now spoke with Maddox from Montrose and black citizens and friends president David Combs to talk about the significance of black history and why it is important to recognize the trailblazers.
Maddox states, 'There are so many individuals in our history that if we did not have them in these people of color, the word culture wouldn't even exist, because we wouldn't have a culture.'
'One of the events that we had for Black History Month was the sip and paint and this year's theme for National Black History Month, the theme was African American labor,' Combs said.
Combs told WesternSlopeNow the annual MLK march that is held in Grand Junction, used to start at the historic Handy Chapel.
'It's important to know that there were people that sacrificed to put the bricks and mortar here,' Combs said.
And as the community started to participate more, the march passed the chapel to pay their respects.
Combs states, 'We had our ceremonies outside just so we could say we were making use of the Handy Chapel. And now what we do is, during our symbolic march, we actually march by the church. We stop. We lay flowers on the steps.'
When the city of Montrose held its march, it was still significant to the community to see everyone come together for the same reason.
Maddox states, 'I believe that where we are now, and we live in an interracial culture, we touched on some things of people of color, black, white, tan, all getting together and for the common good.'
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