El Pasoans remember black history in the Sun City

El Pasoans remembered and celebrated Black History Month Saturday in Central El Paso where they had the chance to learn more about what black people have gone through in the Sun City.

Black El Pasoans used to be segregated. One of the first black physicians in El Paso, Dr. Lawrence Nixon was not allowed to join the local physician’s association. Instead, Dr. Nixon decided to serve his community by treating patients with no charge.

El Paso’s black residents used to be concentrated to Segundo and Central El Paso. Civil rights victories allowed them to move around the city.

“Demographics and shifts in time and you know, of course things happen in time, shifting and spreading around the city," said Nichole Bell, one of the event organizers. "Douglas being the only black school here in El Paso and when it was desegregated it was a great thing because it expanded opportunities, especially for education."

Black History Month is celebrated in February because it’s the month when Frederick Douglas and President Abraham Lincoln were born.