Guest opinion
Romero: Black history is American history
As we enter Black History Month, we have an opportunity to spotlight Black history which is American history, and reaffirm our commitment to Black joy, Black futures, and ensure a thriving Black community here in Tucson. You can find out more about the contributions of Black Tucsonans throughout our neighborhoods. For instance, the Quincie Douglas Center honors the work of Quincie Bell (Sims) Douglas, a community activist and resident of Tucson’s South Park Neighborhood.
She was a leader in moving forward the Low-Income Free Transportation Services program in 1965, now known as Sun Van. She was also active in the Model Cities program that brought neighborhood centers, sidewalks, streetlights, and food programs to areas of Tucson that have experienced historic disinvestment.
The Donna Liggins Center is a community space named for Sugar Hill resident and former city of Tucson employee Donna Liggins. She has been a lifelong advocate for civil rights and for improving the lives of women in our community. She continues to serve through her involvement in organizations, including the Martin Luther King Celebration Committee, the Black Women's Task Force, the Annual NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner and the Juneteenth Committee.
Black History is found in our neighborhoods, our public spaces, and our businesses. Places like the Dunbar Pavilion, the Buffalo Soldiers Memorial Plaza and the new African American Museum of Southern Arizona invite us to reflect on our shared history. The museum offers powerful stories that I hope invite you to learn more about local Black history.
At the same time, we need to remember that while February calls us to pay special attention to Black history and futures, every day is a good day to study history and to work to improve the lives of our Black neighbors and invest in programs and services that will uplift our community.
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