Students wrote brief essays about black Americans who figure prominently in world events, for the Black History Month/Love Dinner held on Feb. 9.

Dominique Ward:

Condoleezza Rice was born on Nov. 14, 1954, in Birmingham, Ala. She is a Republican and she went to the University of Denver and the University of Notre Dame. Plus, she was a professor, provost, diplomat and politician. And her religion was Presbyterian.

Julian Byer:

Rosa Parks is a person who was in the Mongomery Bus Boycott. She gave up her seat for a white man so he can sit down but she didn't want to get up so she got arrested. Her life affects me because nobody would have given up a seat for a white person, I wouldn't even have done that.

Dedrick Parks:

Jacob Lawrence is a famous artist and was born on Sept. 7, 1917 in Atlantic City, N.J. Jacob was one of the first artists trained in and by the African-American community in Harlem. It affected me because I like painting and I feel like I can do it.

Keyohn Love:

Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday is Jan. 15, 1929 and he died on April 4, 1968. He gave a speech and his speech was, “I have a dream.” He affected me when he gave that speech of “I have a dream.”

Nejona Whitaker:

I picked Venus Williams because she is a tennis player. The challengers she faced during her life time were playing the tennis matches and losing a game. I picked Venus Williams, she won each major championship at least once. She was born in Lynwood, Ca. in 1984.

Adriannah Whitaker:

It's Martin Luther King Jr. He gives speeches everywhere. He lived from Jan. 15, 1929 to April 4, 1968. He was born Michael King Jr.

Shaninika Williams:

I picked Harriet Tubman because she stopped slavery. She faced some challenges like she would be hit if she did not do the work she was told to. She took more than 700 slaves to Philadelphia for freedom. She was born in 1820.

Kyra Hill:

My grandma Wanda raised three kids. She was nice, strong, old, helpful and people look up to her. She was Christian. She faced many challenges during her life, raising three children and taking care of her mother, who she lost not too long after. She was born March 9, 1955 in Georgia. She is retired now.

Rasharrah Taylor:

I picked Harriet Tubman because I like her. She was born a slave. She was freed in Auburn and born in Dorcester County, Md. She was born with the name Araminta Ross in 1820 and died March 10, 1913.

Carissa Lester:

Daniel Williams was a surgeon. He worked hard to create more hospitals for African-Americans. It was the only black American in a college of surgeons. I had fun researching him. It was interesting learning about what he did.