Literature, food among ways to celebrate black history month

1. Read Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s I Have a Dream speech

Honor one of the most influential people for the movement by reading the speech that moved the nation. Listen to him say it or read it out loud yourself. Talk about it with your siblings. Then write your own speech, about how you hope and plan to change the world.

2. Play Mancala

Mancala is one of the oldest games in the world, believed to originate from Africa. You can make buys mancala board, play it online at play-mancala.com, or download it from the App Store/Google Apps. You can even use 24 Cheerios and an egg carton. The instructions can be found at Instructables.com.

3. Poems by African-American Writers

Take five minutes and read a poem- it’s a quick and easy way to honor the writers and educate yourself in the process. Try “I, Too” by Langston Hughes, “An Aspect of Love, Alive in the Ice and Fire” by Gwendolyn Brooks, or “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou.

4. Support Black Owned Restaurants

Try some soul food at some black owned restaurants. Big Mama’s Kitchen is one, on the corner o of Bedford and 45^th street, where they will have speakers come every Wednesday for Black History month. Another restaurant to try is Lonnell’s Southern Delight, where they have soul food priced under $10 on 16^th street.

5. Listen to Black Musicians

There are so many artists available today, from recent to back in the day. If you’re feeling like modern music, try The Weekend, Rihanna, or Cardi B. If you want to time travel, try some timeless artists such as Micheal Jackson, Arethra Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder.

6. Go to a predominantly black church

There are so many different types of churches in this world. Try something different this Sunday and visit a predominantly African- American church. Experience the way that the African- America culture celebrates Jesus.

7. Take a DNA Test

This may be a bit pricey, but well worth the cost. As author Carl Sagan says, ““You have to know the past to understand the present.” What better way to start of February than to understand where you come from. Maybe you’ll find some African- American in you.