Feb. 27 — In 1869, John Willis Menard rose from his seat in the chamber of the U.S. Congress to defend his status as the first African American elected to the institution, thus becoming the first Black to address Congress. Alas, he was denied the seat and returned to Florida where he became a school superintendent.

Black History Month began in 1926 as ‘Negro History Week’, founded by historian Carter G. Woodson to highlight the overlooked contributions of Black Americans. The second week of February was chosen to honor the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln.

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, Ball in the House, a renowned a cappella group, will perform "And Now I See: Racism, and American Music” to celebrate Black History Month at the Gardner Mount Wachusett Community College Campus. The performance begins at 12:30 p.m. and continues to 1:30 p.m. in the South Café.