History of Valentine’s Day

There are various views about how Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated on Feb. 14, came into existence.
Some historians trace it to an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia. There are other historians who connect it with one or more saints of the early Christian church, while others link the holiday with an antiquated belief that birds choose their mates on Feb. 14.
The Festival of Lupercalia was held on Feb. 15 to ensure protection from wolves. In the midst of the celebration, young men beat people with strips of animal hides. Incongruously, women took the beatings because they believed that the beating would make them fertile.
The novice Christian church said there were at least two saints named Valentine. One fable recounts the Roman Emperor Claudius II in the A.D. 200s forbade young men to marry. The emperor thought single men made better soldiers. So, a priest named Valentine disobeyed the emperor’s order and discretely married young couples.
Many historians also believed that Valentine was an early Christian who befriended many children. Although he was well liked by the townspeople, he was despised by the Roman priests because he refused to serve their gods. The children desperately missed Valentine and tossed loving and caring notes between the bars of his cells.
Based on its history, Valentine’s Day was created for various reasons; however, research shows that blacks don’t have any historical ties to the creation of the holiday.
Phillip Rackley, a professor of psychology at Southern University said, “Yes, Valentine’s Day started in Europe and has nothing to do with the African American culture. This day is just set aside for commercial use.
“As far as the history of Valentine’s Day, we (African Americans) have no part in it. African Americans first encountered Valentine’s Day on American plantations. It was a day that the slave-owner had off and so the slaves had the day off as well. We just adopted a European- dominated holiday,” added Rackley.
United States’ records support Rackley’s statement regarding the commercial aspect of the holiday: Last year, due to Valentine’s Day, an estimated $16.9 billion was pumped into the United States’ economy.
As far as meaning, today’s perception of Valentine’s Day is not significantly different from many historical records.
Lloyd Rooks, a senior secondary education major from Detroit, said that Valentine’s Day is a simple holiday that he thinks should be celebrated with loved ones to show gratitude.
“To me, Valentine’s Day is just a day to share with your loved ones, not necessarily a significant other, just someone that you love. This is a day to show your appreciation to them. Time is more important to me,” said senior Jamalya Skipper from Chicago.