 "Photo: Courtesy of Chris Young")
We’ve been celebrating, if you can even call it that, black history since the mid 1920’s. When first brought to the forefront in 1926 African American culture was highlighted during black history week.
Deep respect is due for the efforts of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the activist who was the leading force behind the foundation of Black History Week. Woodson also started the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALF) to carry on the values behind Black History Month. The fight to have a place in recorded history reserved for many deserving African Americans is a noble one. Likewise, highlighting aspects of an integral culture in our nation’s formation goes beyond necessity. It would be completely wrong, a crime against humanity so to speak, to ignore the importance of African American’s and their culture.
The far-reaching impacts of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life alone could arguably be considered among the most momentous in our nation’s history. This goes without mentioning the accomplishments of Fredrick Douglas, George Washington Carver, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm (Little) X, Jackie Robinson, Moses Fleetwood Walker (who was really the first African American to play professional baseball) Rosa Parks and our own President: Barack Obama.
Nothing of consequence should ever be left in the dust that is our history. However, the racial injustice served by dusty history books is all but gone. Flip through the index of any modern textbook to find the proof. The references regarding African Americans and blacks are equal if not greater than references relating to England and all things British. The references to all other principle “white races” (Italian, French, German, Greek, Irish etc.) combined scarcely total the “colored” references.
So disparity we have not. Under representation – a thing of the past.
Yet we maintain Black History Month.
To what end? What purpose remains for bringing awareness to the fact that we ALL are indeed different? The month no longer stands as an acknowledgement of social equality but instead perpetuates racism, reminding each and every American that they are slightly more Irish, Russian, Chinese, Bulgarian or Haitian than their neighbor.
“Maybe America needs to be reminded once a year how worse off this country would be were it not for the contributions of African Americans,” wrote Jeff Mays, a blogger for blackvoices.com, concerning Black History Month.
Meaning that African Americans are owed a month in return for years of suffering. Is this then, a payoff of epic proportions not unlike the government permitting Indian gaming?
Instead of focusing for months (because lets face it Black History Month is not alone, consider Hispanic Heritage Month; Asian Pacific American Heritage Month) on the abstractions standing between us we ought to promote tolerance. Instead utilize our school systems to teach comprehensive views of history. Highlight the racist and prejudiced mistakes we have made as reminders that these atrocities were committed because people noticed irreparable differences in other human beings
The ASALH claims to “labor in the service of Black folks and all humanity.”
It is time we forget - the red, and yellow; black and white - to see each other not as a color or race; nor as a nation, but as humanity.
It is time we begin our own labor for a tolerant and united earth.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in this column represent those of the writer and not of the newspaper staff, faculty, staff, or the college.
10 comments
So what exactly do you want? "Modern textbooks at best pay lip service to equality?" Would you prefer it if the textbooks continued to leave out relevant facts on minority inequality and minority contributions to the history of this Country? Why not be happy that historical facts are no longer being ignored, and that future generations will be better prepared not to repeat the same mistakes? That's not good enough for you?
The columnist suggests that we put all racial and ethnic stuff behind us. I don't think that's the solution. Instead of just trying to ignore and forget the fact that some of us are African, or Irish, or French, or Asian- instead of allowing that to be a dividing factor, why not celebrate the diverse aspects that the world's cultures have to offer by recognizing ALL of them?