Why Is There Always One Black Person Trying To Put An End To Black History Month?
I am sick of black folks who act like Black History Month needs to be abolished. Be quiet and get over it. Find something else to talk about. Black History Month still serves a necessary purpose and will continue doing so for many more decades to come. Getting rid of Black History Month would mean absolutely nothing and would be a false declaration that black folks in America have been accepted as equals by everyone and that is just not the case.
14 comments:
Sorry but I have a different take on black history month. It needs to go not because we are equal but because we will suffer from so racism.
That's why I'm glad I go to an HBCU. We're MADE to take African-American History here. It's is my favorite class. So much I got a 100% on my first test. :) Oh and by the way here's another one of those crazy black people who doesn't like black history month.
http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/bigger-picture/article.aspx?cp-documentid=8318297&vv=650
Tell me what you think Professer Tracy.
nice kicks...did you happen to see the tommie smith puma's? i wish i could get my hands on a pair of those.
I appreciate both sides of the debate. I remember getting into this discussion a few times with both Blacks and Whites, as well as other groups of people who wondered why they didn't have their own history month. I think its a healthy debate and can be used to help remind us of why Carter G. actually started celebrating Black History.
I work at an academic institution and we also give props to Hispanic, Asian, and Native American months of history. Maybe these folks who want Black History Month abolished need to think outside that box and look at the whole picture. i could think of other stuff that needs abolishment.
Interesting discussion. yes, we have Cultural Traitors in the African American community. The sad thing is non of these folks even know where Classical African Civilization is. Cultural Poisoning prevents them from passing on their 12,000 year old worldview. Seeded to my column on Nesvine. http:aunk.newsvine.com
I think it depends on why they want to abolish it. Personally, I got tired of having my history sectioned off to one month of the year. For a long time, only white figures would pop into my mind when I thought of history. In other words, white history was the standard and black history was only a subtopic. I decided to "mainstream" black history in my own mind and those of my students. Now, black history IS history in my mind just as white history is. As a result, I do not feel the need for black history month.
Now if some people want it abolished because they think it offends others, that's a different story.
I believe that BHM is still relevant and important.
I was born in fifties. This was one of the most important months in our homes, schools, churches and communities. We were members of the race. The men and women who we learned about were our heroes and heriones. They were the captains of the battle. Our role models.
I have worked with young black adults who do not know enough about our story in America. Nor do they have enough acquired knowledge about Africa or any of the other Black cultures in the world. This should never be.
Having that knowledge is supposed to be empowerment.
The fuel to help us make it through hard times with the intent to be successful.
I also believe that we need to be teaching our story 365 days. But for some the 28 days worth seems to be a major effort.
I went to an HBCU in a city of HBCUs.
I believe that black history is American history.
But I also believe that black people- our struggle, our lives, our culture-- are what makes America.
The soul of America was imported from West Africa; and the shortest month of the year is one venue by which to explain this to non-black America.
Example of why I wish it would go away. I take my 4yo to story time at B&N a couple times a month. I get a nice beverage and he's learning to sit still while the nice lady tells a story. Why is it today she had to single out an AA book AND somehow talk about slavery AND play a banjo and sing 'Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen?' The only person I want teaching my child AA history is ME. Apparently the rest of the world is just too effing stupid to deal.
I believe that black history needs to move past the one month special treatment that it gets. Instead of remembering that it is time to teach children about blackness every February, we need to demand that it becomes integrated into every single class room and that parents are given the tools to add supplementary information for their children. What does this month teach our children but that they are an aside? I make it a point to discuss race and blackness with my kids every single day. I want them to feel a pride in who they are and the struggles that have occurred and I do not believe that is possible to achieve in 28 days once a month. Blackness needs to become a normalized identity not something we single out when we have been given permission to do so.
Hetep and Respect roslynholcomb, Give her a book on Classical African Civilization (CAC)that she can read next time.
Cultural Literacy in America will improve when we improve it and Black history month is a great opportunity to improve the nation's Cultural Health one person at a time.
Is your son up to speed on CAC?
Aunk, did I mention that my son is FOUR? Right now he's up to speed on his ABCs/123s, Wonder Pets and Sid the Science KId. We're up to speed on CAC and he'll certainly begin learning at an appropriate time. We, his parents don't feel that right now is the time.
Hetep and REspect roslynholcomb, Thanks for the alert, I did not know your son's age. It is never to early to expose our youth to their culture, for as your story points out, If we don't someone else will start the Cultural Poisoning process in a way that might not be in our family's best cultural interest.
My suggestion was more geared to the B&N reader and your local stores BHM programing plans.
Was the presenter European American or African American?
What was your son's reaction to the program?
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