Justin Giuliano never expected for a tweet mentioning civil rights and gay rights activist Bayard Rustin to earn him over 1,000 new Twitter followers.

The Sociocultural Studies major at Bethel University has since used #BlackHistoryYouDidntLearnInSchool each day during the month of February, which is African American History Month, to engage with others on Twitter about Black history. 

Justin Giuliano is pictured left. (Justin Giuliano/Neon Tommy)

"I'm still learning Black history every day," Giuliano says. He continues, "My followers and the people I follow keep teaching me. I scroll through the hashtag every day and see who else has been contributing."

Below is an interview between Justin Giuliano and staff reporter, Jessica Moulite. 

So tell me, what inspired you to create this hashtag?

I was sick of learning about the same few historical figures over the past 20 years of my life. The Black history that I learned in school was very whitewashed and my textbooks erased so many significant Black figures from history. I wanted to educate others about Black history that we haven't been told [about].

What do you want people to take away from #BlackHistoryYouDidntLearnInSchool?

I want people to take away the fact that Black history is expansive and that we have contributed so much to America. Even more, I want people to know that our history doesn't start at slavery in America. We were prosperous kings and queens in Africa. To be honest, I don't know enough African history to educate people on that yet, but I'm hoping to learn that soon. 

Tell me about some of the reactions you've gotten from people in the Twitterverse.

All of the reactions that I've received have been positive. People have thanked me for educating them on Black history and opening their eyes. I've had people tell me that they're sharing this information with their kids or with other friends. It's all so humbling.

I never thought it would get this big and I'm honored that people are giving me this platform. I've also had people tell me that they are going to join in and share their own Black history fact or figure that they want people to know. 

What are your thoughts on how people traditionally view Black History Month?

From what I've experienced, Black history month usually involves talking about the same few historical figures while speaking about friendship and forgiveness. As someone who has primarily attended predominantly white schools, I find that it tends to focus on friendship and forgiveness during those times, whereas Black folk want to talk about institutional justice, dignity and equal opportunity. 

SEE ALSO: #Ferguson and #Blacklivesmatter Illustrate How James Baldwin’s Words Resonate More Than 25 Years After His Death

The tweet that started it all. (Twitter/Neon Tommy)

How do you decide what you're going to tweet out using the hashtag? 

I've had a group of friends sending me ideas about who or what to cover for my hashtag but I also run a Tumblr and ask my followers there. My friends have been the biggest resource and they continue to educate me on history that I have no idea about. I'm incredibly grateful for them. My tumblr followers also send me great ideas and I'm thankful that people are willing to contribute ideas to this. 

How has social media allowed youexpress some of your personal thoughts on how Black history?

Social media has been an excellent platform for me to share my thoughts. I think that while Twitter is restricting because of the character limit, I have actually learned so much from conversations that I've had on it. I've found that engaging with followers has taught me so much. Twitter can be a powerful platform, if used correctly. 

Reach Staff Reporter Jessica Moulite here. Follow her on Twitter.