Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan announced the launch of her inaugural Black History Month Essay Contest for middle and high school students in Virginia’s District 4.
The competition aims to increase education and awareness of prominent figures in Black history. All middle and high school students in Virginia’s District 4 are welcome to participate. Students are asked to write an essay analyzing the significance of specific Black figures in history.
“February is Black History Month, an important opportunity to recognize all those who played a role in advancing the rights of the Black community and working to redress long-standing inequities in our nation,” McClellan said. “It is an incredible honor to serve in Congress as the first Black woman from Virginia, but it is also an important responsibility to uplift other Black leaders and ensure I am not the last. Former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm and President Barack Obama are trailblazers, who shattered glass ceilings and moved our communities and nation forward. I am excited to launch my inaugural Black History Month Essay Contest, and I encourage all middle and high school students to participate.”
Middle School students are asked to write an essay of 350 to 500 words about the life and legacy of the first Black woman elected to Congress: former Rep. Shirley Chisholm, and how her election paved the way for other Black women to serve. High school students are asked to write 500 to 750 words on how they would encourage themself and peers to become engaged as changemakers in their communities as a student or future voter. The first Black President of the United States, Barack Obama, once said: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
The deadline for submission is Monday, February 12, 2024, and all submissions should be emailed to [email protected].
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Rebecca Barnabi
