By Shayvonne Hennix

For Black History Month, I interviewed two students from Patterson High School to hear their thoughts about celebrating black history and about how black people are perceived by other Americans. Here are their responses:

Sharissa Hennix (Cohort 2020)

Q: What is your ethnic background?

A: African Trinidadian.

Q: How do you think America views your ethnicity and your country?

A: I think they like view us as aggressive Trinidadians because for some reason people think West Indian people are rude, but for my black side of the family, I think people regardless think black people are bad and thieves, that they always kill black people for no reason.

Q: Do you think that black history should be celebrated all year long?

A: I mean, I feel like it is celebrated all year but it’s just highlighted more during February.

Q: Why do you think that is?

A: I don’t know. Probably something that happened a long time ago caused it.

Anonymous boy (Class of 2022)

Q: What is your ethnic background?

A: Black.

Q: How do you think America views your ethnicity?

A: Oh nah, them white people be geekin’, like, “F*** wrong with them killing people and s***?”.

Q: Do you think that black history should be celebrated all year long?

A: Hell yeah!

Q: Why?

A: What you mean? White people do it. Why can’t we?

The Patterson Press would like to thank these two students for their time.