February is Black History Month, and Bachelor Nation star Thomas Jacobs sat down exclusively with BachelorNation.com to discuss both his family’s history and why honoring Black history should extend way beyond this month.

He shared the story of his grandfather, who made history as the second ever African American admiral in the United States Navy, and revealed why it’s so important to carry on his legacy.

Check out Thomas’ full interview below.

Bachelor Nation: What does Black History Month mean to you?

Thomas Jacobs: In my life, Black History Month is just a chance to reflect on all the progress generations before us have accomplished. For me, it’s so much bigger than just this month, because there’s no American history without Black history. This month is just a reminder that we’ve done so much as a community, but we still have so much further to go. So as great as it is to celebrate Black History Month, it’s also a cool chance to look forward and see how much we’re going to add to that story as time goes on. So this month, I like to think about what we can do as Black men and women to really move the ball forward for the next generation. When they look back at their Black history, I want to have made a difference during my time on this planet to move the ball forward.

BN: We completely agree that it’s important to celebrate Black History Month beyond the month of February.

TJ: Yeah, it’s just like any starter ideology. If you only celebrate it for a finite amount of time, you’re gonna lose traction or lose progress, and that’s not what we’re going after. It’s a reminder that yes, this is a great month to reflect, but you can’t just let it end in February. Black history is something that needs to be celebrated and needs to be created 12 months a year. That’s how we’re going to accomplish what we need to as a community and that’s how we’re gonna make this world better.

BN: Absolutely. Were there any prominent Black leaders or mentors who inspired you while growing up?

TJ: My grandfather, Gerald E. Thomas, was the biggest direct influence that I had in my life when it came to Black culture and what it means to be a success story. He was the second ever African American admiral in the United States Navy, a degree holder from Yale, Harvard and George Washington University while speaking over five languages as an US Ambassador to several countries under different administrations, both Republican and Democrat. He was a self-made, highly distinguished man who was one of the most intelligent, educated people leading into the civil rights movement.

BN: Wow, that’s an incredible story!

TJ: Oh, and that’s just a part of it. There could be a whole library written about him. He went to Yale University for one of his undergrad degrees, and during that time he lived in a family-friendly attic. He ate nothing but ketchup for three years, because that’s what he had to survive off of. He realized that he needed that education and needed to push through to get to a point where he could change his world, and then everything just grew from there. Now he’s left generational legacies and changed the entire world for African Americans in the military. He’s changed the world for African Americans in general. He ended up becoming a headmaster at Yale University later on, which just blows my mind. He went from living in an attic just to get his education to becoming a headmaster at Yale University.

BN: What an incredible part of not only your family’s history, but also this nation’s history! Thank you for sharing his story.

TJ: Of course, I feel a great honor and privilege because I’m actually named after him. Thomas is my mom’s maiden name and I was named after that lineage, after that legacy. It’s a personal reminder to me that Black History Month isn’t just February, I live it every single day that I wake up. And speaking of my mom, she’s a trailblazer in her own right. She is the strongest person that I know. My dad was gone on deployment while I was growing up, so she was a full-time mom with four kids and still worked full time. Now she’s the COO of a space telecommunications company. I’m lucky to have another incredible role model in my family and it also happens to be her birthday later this month. Happy birthday, Mama Jacobs!

BN: Happy birthday to your mom! She sounds amazing as well. With all the incredible role models that you’ve had, what does it mean for you to now be someone that other Black people may look up to?

TJ: It’s a huge responsibility and it’s something that I don’t take lightly. I know for me growing up, I was fortunate to have role models who looked like me because they were in my direct reach in my family. But a lot of my friends who I grew up with, they didn’t necessarily have that. I know there’s so many kids out there who struggle trying to emulate these rappers and athletes instead of the doctors, business owners, and community leaders. So for me, I feel just an extreme honor knowing that there’s kids who look up to me and can see someone like me go out into the world and make something themselves. They can also start businesses, give back to the communities, and just be a good example of “yes, you can do it too.”

BN: Yes, that must be a really special experience! Lastly, what are some things Bachelor Nation fans can be doing to support Black History Month, both this month and beyond?