February's Black History Month should be observed by people of all races and ethnic backgrounds.
It's an opportunity to gain further understanding about each other and to gain knowledge of the important contributions black Americans have made to the development of our great nation.
Yes, all lives matter. And yes, different races and cultures have different backgrounds and experiences that lead to varied beliefs and values. But we should strive year-round, not just in February, to empathize with each other as we celebrate our similarities and work through our differences.
The event was started as Negro History Week and chosen in February to coincide with the birthday of former President Abraham Lincoln on Feb. 12 and Frederick Douglass on Feb. 14. Douglas was a leader in the abolitionist movement in the 1800s, and Lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation, which led the way to the abolition of slavery in the United States.
One local entity with a Black History Month tie-in is the Museum of Missouri Military History. The museum, located at the Missouri National Guard's Ike Skelton Training Site, is featuring a Black Heritage Month exhibit.
Among other things, visitors will learn about the life of Toney Jenkins, the first black soldier in Jefferson City to die in World War I. He is the namesake of American Legion Post 231, chartered in 1934 originally as an all-black post.
Jenkins served in Company G of the 369th Infantry of 92nd Division, which sustained severe losses in the drive in Meuse-Argonne leading to the capture of the strategic village of Sechault, France.
Jenkins, a baseball fan, joined the Army in 1917 at the age of 21. A year later, he was killed while serving with the Harlem Hellfighters.
Our own backyard is steeped in black history. We have Lincoln University, one of 107 institutions designated as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
The school has a proud history, starting with its founders, members of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantry units, who started the school in early 1866, at the end of the Civil War. The infantry units primarily consisted of Missourians. Today Lincoln cherishes its roots while serving a diverse clientele of students.
Black history is intertwined with American history, but it's something that isn't always prominent in history books. Take a little time this month to gain knowledge and understanding of black history. The more we strive to understand one another, the more unified we will be as a nation.