The City of Bloomington is accepting submissions for its 2021 Black History Month essay contest, the Black History Month committee announced in a Jan. 26 press release. Essays are due midnight Feb. 8.
Bloomington area students from elementary school to high school can participate in the competition. The city partnered with the IU Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center to celebrate this year’s Black History Month with the theme “The Show Goes On.”
“This year's theme ‘The Show Goes On,’ speaks to the resilience of a people who utilized some of their most valuable assets — creative and artistic expression — to overcome obstacles, navigate uncertain circumstances, and still come out on top,” the city said on its website.
A first, second and third place winner will be announced in each division: grades 4-6, grades 7-8, and high school. The students with the top essays in all three categories will win iPads and cash awards up to $100.
“I encourage all of our students to use this opportunity to reflect on Black history and the place of Black culture in our collective experience,” Mayor John Hamilton said in the release. “As we come together to celebrate the perseverance of Black people, we reiterate our commitment to greater equity and justice in Bloomington and beyond.”
More information is posted on the city’s website.
