With Black History Month in full swing, some people are celebrating the more unknown parts of black history. 
Ebonee Davis, Loyola voice instructor, and Aria Mason, director of opera creole, both regularly perform music created by African American composers to help teach people more about the importance of black history in American history.
“Black history is American history,” Mason said, who thinks too many people don’t know enough about the contributions by black Americans to American culture and society.
Both Davis and Mason said representation matters as understanding history from different vantage points can help enrich our understanding of Louisiana’s history.
It’s a sentiment that Manger of Magnolia Mound Plantation John Sykes said Louisiana history is a combination of all kinds of history. For Sykes, understanding history is crucial for creating an accurate perception of the world around us.
Sykes said Magnolia Mound provides a window into the past, and a better understanding of the future.