February is Black History Month and Omega Delta Phi at Texas A&M International University stepped up to the challenge of celebrating the Black experience and Black Leadership and History through showcasing two of its most prolific leaders.
The AT brothers wanted to feature individuals and events that held special significance but another brother had an idea to feature individuals who are less known but whose contributions in history still resonate today.
“It is important for Alpha Tau to celebrate and pay tribute to Black History considering we live in a bordertown where we are infused with two cultures. Being predominantly Hispanic, we wanted to focus more on American history and Black History which we often feel gets lost in the shuffle. Highlighting these leaders creates awareness. Black History is our history because without these individuals and their contributions, we wouldn’t be who we are today” expressed the Alpha Tau chapter active brothers.
The Texas A&M International University’s Alpha Tau chapter shared a spotlight on their social media platforms where they highlighted several Black leaders in history. The chapter chose to focus on Sara E. Goode, the first African American woman to receive a patent from the United States government for her invention of the folding cabinet bed. This amazing woman invented the folding cabinet bed. At the time of her invention, housing in New York City was expanding upwards but became restricted in 1885 when New York City passed a law that restricted buildings to be under 80 feet, as to combat commercial buildings becoming too tall. Tenement buildings usually had a footprint of 25 feet by 100 feet. Obviously, in these environments, every square foot in this type of house is important! Goode’s invention made saving space easy for people!
The other individual that the Alpha Tau chaptered was emblematic leader Malcolm X, a figurehead of the Black Experience. Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a popular figure during the civil rights movement. He is best known for his time spent as a vocal spokesman for the Nation of Islam. He often preached about of racism and violence and fought to end racial injustice. There’s a lot that can be said about this brave man but today we take this day to honor him.
