The first thing I saw this morning when I opened Internet Explorer was this article on Black History Month. The article basically discusses the varying feelings around there being a month dedicated to black history. One of the things that I discovered from the article was that February being the designated month may not necessarily be the smack in the face that black people often to consider it to be. Setting that aside I was left wondering why there is any debate at all. Â
The necessity of Black History Month is undeniable simply because without it we would have to rely on thousands of indiviual public schools (and districts) to agree that black history is American history. For some reason that idea seems to be a hard sell despite the fact that any idiot can understand that if the United States formed in 1776, then anything that happened here from then on is U.S. history. Plus all the “history” that culminated in the actions taken that year (and on the specific date of February 4, 1776 when the first president was elected) are also part of U.S. history. Black folk are involved in U.S. history from the early days of colonization, when blacks enjoyed a certain level of freedom on this land, through to Forest Whitaker being up for an Oscar this coming weekend.Â
If we want to talk about American history in general there is compelling research out there from black scholars, including Ivan Van Sertima in his fascinating work They Came Before Columbus, that argue there was an African presence in the Americas long before Columbus found his way here. But I digress. My point is that there is a lot of black hisory that would be ignored if not for this month, and until black accomplishments are integrated into history books in a meaningful, accurate way, these 28 days of blackness have to be taken advantage of. I’ll gladly support the end of Black History Month, but not before black history, and historians, are given the year-round prominence that both are currently lacking.Â
Those who believe that America doesn’t need black history are the same ones who belive that white people are not racist or discriminatory, even when then are left sitting at an old-fashioned soda counter waiting to be served for over 20 minutes and the place is hardly busy! Or better yet, they are the ones who believe that public schools in the inner city are equal to those in white suburbs…yeah…seperate but equal!
One of the things I miss about being a teacher was the opportunity to delve into black history with my students, not just during BHM, but during the whole school year. Now that I’m out of the classroom and I no longer work with any other black people, there’s not even a mention of BHM at my non-profit job. No one’s going to any cool exhibits, no lectures over at UCLA, no film festivals…a big fat nada.
Sigh.
History is so poorly taught, focused on events and dates instead of people. I would not be surprised if kids had a better idea of black history than other areas because of this annual focus. I’m old enough that there was no such thing when i was growing up. Even when i majored in history at a major university in Washington D.C., there was practically nothing about black American history. I’m sort of envious that my kid gets this kind of education in his school, and only wish there was more history education that was about the whole range of real people and their lives in different periods of time.
To me, Black History Month by definition says, forget about it for the rest of the year. But I agree, without it, at this point in American society, were doomed to ignoring Black history all together. Of course, considering the current state of American teens, it seems that history represents gazing back all the way to the early 90’s.
I know that attending an all-white elementary school and a mostly white High School, I was exposed to very little Black History. George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, MLK, done. It will be interesting to see what schools are like for my girls in the next 10-15 years. But, as with anything when it comes to parenting, it’s ultimately on my wife and me to make sure our kids don’t grow up in a bubble (which living in CO, won’t be easy).
re: Mitch McDad’s “To me, Black History Month by definition says, forget about it for the rest of the year.”
I disagree.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t, by definition, say “forget about [your love] for the rest of the year.”
Mother’s Day doesn’t, by definition, say “forget about [your mother] for the rest of the year.”
I don’t see why Black History Month would be defined any differently.
Certainly, I agree that some people may use it as an excuse to only cover the material for 28 days but, as you suggest, these are probably the folks who would’ve done even less if it weren’t for BHM.
Just my two cents.
-West
I believe that the African Amereican contributions to history should be augmented into American history proper, and that History should be a topic that is taught better overall in the school systems.
Amen to everything you said. Im sick of the arguments myself.
One of the biggest problems, I find, about the Black History Month discussion, is that too many black people are waiting for the schools to do an adequate job teaching black history which IS American history, to our children.
It is OUR responsibility as parents to do this.
If we think that the schools are going to do an adequate job, we are only fooling ourselves.
People are a “continuation” of something. They start with what is poured into them: culture, language, encouragement, expectations, and history. The school system recognizes this and fills our childrens’ heads with how great is America and the accomplishments of Americans. By the end of this indoctrination, one gets the arrogant, self-righteous, inventive, philanthropic, ugly American known the world over. At least, that’s the case for our white brethren.
African-American children have their heads filled all year long with European history and how great it was, and then white European’s founded this country and made it great (w/out any help, forced or otherwise) and every president, thinker, and leader of importance has been white. This is taught in schools that are 99% African-American or with 1 African-American in a school of hundreds. What impact does this have on our young people? To learn about the greatness of someone else EVERY month including February?
Quite frankly, Black history is going to have to go back to Africa to build up our children to believing they can be president, a great thinker, or a great inventor. When I was in grade school, I was not beaming with pride that my ancestors created modern marvels like the straightening comb, peanut butter, and the stop light! Those are underwhelming contributions to science when my classmates ancestors were credited for the car, light bulb, and space ships! If we want our children to do great things, we need to tell them about their greatness too. Not only that their “heroes” were hosed, spit upon, had cokes poured on their heads, hung on a whim, were assassinated, and peaceful.
It is going to take some work to learn about people like Mark Dean, Philip Emeagwali, Ben Carson, Charles Drew, John Hope Franklin and this type of Black history, but as long as the “system” sanctioned history is one of subjugation and trivial inventions, African-Americans are going to live up to the expectations for them– low expectations.
I don’t mean to be racist, or mean, but honest. Our children are looking for African-Americans AND Africans to which they can admire. So far, it is only star athletes and hip hop artists who they are being fed that are doing things they would be interested in doing.
Bottom line, until “US” history courses adapt “Us” into the curriculem, Black History month is a necessity.