RTA celebrates Black History Month with ‘Black Culture’ campaign

(DAYTON, OHIO)… To celebrate Black History Month, the Greater Dayton RTA is highlighting different traditions and cultural events that are significant within the African American community with its “Black Culture” campaign.

On Feb. 1, the month-long celebration will kick off with the roll-out of RTA’s February calendar bus, with the design details strongly influenced by Black culture. As with all of the agency’s calendar buses, the February bus features days of interest throughout the month but with a twist. The days of interest will correlate with a member of the African American community who played a historic first role. For example, former President Barack Obama is featured on Presidents Day as the first African American president of the United States. In addition, Ella Fitzgerald is featured on Super Bowl Sunday since she is the First African American woman to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in 1972. Other popular February holidays, such as Valentine’s Day and Groundhog Day, also appear.

During the campaign, the RTA will feature eight traditions or cultural celebrations in several ways throughout the agency. While some topics are more commonly known, others may be a little bit more unfamiliar. They include Kwanzaa, “jump the broom,” Juneteenth, music, hair, food, mentoring and Black church. Each topic, along with corresponding information, will be printed on an interior card and placed in RTA’s fixed-route bus fleet for customers to read.

As part of our social media campaign, we will be launching an interactive trivia game. Every Thursday during the month, we will ask a different question related to the information found on the interior cards aboard our buses. More details about the trivia game will be announced on our social media platforms.

Also, a seat will be reserved on every fixed-route bus using a special Rosa Parks placard to acknowledge her role in making every seat available to everyone.

Information on RTA’s Black History Month campaign can be found at www.iriderta.org/blackhistorymonth.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Kristi Newton (937) 425-8379, Communications and Community Relations Manager