Byron L. Cogdell is a product of the amazing Department of Mass
Communications from the great Bethune-Cookman University where he studied
public relations and advertising.
Hailing from Fayetteville, NC, Cogdell has always had a great interest
in the advancement of the community.
Byron is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and serves as
public relations specialist at Halifax Health in Daytona Beach, FL.
What does Black History month mean to you?
“Black History Month means a lot to me! I have
always observed it to the fullest because I appreciate why it was created. I
try to make the most out of acknowledging Black History all year round, but to
have a month that is known by the world, as Black History Month is outstanding
to me. It has created a platform for African Americans and Americans of all
races to learn more about the importance of African descendants in
America.”
Which pioneers in the Black community do you admire most?
“The person I have admired the most is Mr.
Paul Robeson. I admire him for several reasons but mostly because he set
several goals for himself; many of which were not related, but he was awesome
at all of them. He was able to become a successful athlete, writer, scholar,
actor and singer in one lifetime. That defines a man that defeats all odd in my
eyes. I see that same thing in myself sometimes.”
I see you're doing your best to make sure we continue to create new
history each day. Tell me about your Black HistoREAD month effort.
“Black HistoRead Month is a project that I
have started with a friend of mine, Simona Peppers, to work towards enabling
African Americans to read more. We have noticed the correlation between reading
and success and want our community to be able to reach the things that have
been hidden from us for so long. Black HistoRead is a project that urges
African Americans to increase their amount of leisurely reading per day in
hopes to enrich the community with knowledge and power.”
How did you come up with the concept?
“I came up with the concept after having a
discussion about an article that was written by a college professor that
exclaimed that "Blacks are still enslaved... not by chains but by
ignorance." It made me want to help others release the chains that they
may not even have known were on them by enriching their minds with knowledge. I
figured there was no better time to do it than Black History Month.”
What do you hope to achieve with your efforts towards Black HistoREAD month?
“I would just like to see more African
Americans spending their "free time" reading. Studies show that
individuals that read are more successful in business, trade and career
advancement. Although it is a long road of correlation, I think knowledge is
the key to our success and it will give us the power to create, improve and
perfect our communities.”
How can we get involved?
Photo courtesy of Byron L. Cogdell
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