Let me preface what I am about to say by stating that I DO NOT hate black people, or African-Americans for that matter.
With that said, I am now going to state that Black History Month is inherently racist. Why?
It implies that Black History is somehow miraculously seperate from "white" history and in fact so shrouded in mystery and ignorance that an entire month must be devoted to teacher "black"history. Now I enjoy hearing of the triumphs of George Washington Carver as much as the next guy, but come on, do we really need a whole month to learn about what Carver did with the peanut?
Now proponents of the month claim that the history we learn in the classroom the other 11 months of the year is "white" history and thus a seperate month is needed to teach "black"history. That makes no sense. Here's how a history book teaching only white history would sound:
There were the Dark Ages and it generally stunk because no one took baths. The Black Plague killed many people and there some cool guys in the renaissance like Da Vinci and Shakespeare.
Does that sound like any textbook you've ever read?
And lets look at this from another perscpetive. The first civiliations on record were the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians who were most certainly not white. Sure the Greeks and Romans were white, persay, but that just two civilizations both with warred with other nations from the Middle East and Africa and any history of either is incomplete without some non-white elements. What about the middle ages? The crusades of the middle ages were wars fought in the middle east against a definately non-white populace. Just try to do a "Whites only" history of the Crusades, I dare you.
And of course the story of the conquest of the New World is filled with battles and take-overs of the non-white native population and of course, once the colonies were founded, a vigoruos slave trade of the Africans fueled 1/3 of the trade routes between the New World and the Old.
American Hiustory is incomplete without the balck/slave story. Just try to imagine an "whites only"version of the Civil War. That would mean no Emancipation Proclimation, no Missouri Compromise, and no Bleeding Kansas.
Even the most "black"of all "black history," the civil rights movement, had it fair share of elightened white members. The monumental civil rights legislation would not have become law if it wasn't for white president Lyndon B. Johnson.
Speaking of the civil rights movement, I can't help think of one leading racists statement: "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!"
As long as we have a seperate month for black history, as long as we think the two histories are segregated, we are fufulling his prophecy.
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Black or [insert race/nationality here] history is American history...period si in all I agree.But you have qutie a few people who don't see things like the civil rights movements as their history also, I think that's a problem too. And the fact that we don't exactly teach a factual history in a lot of elementary and middle and high schools.But very good blog :)
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http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/npsm18
First I must say you have a few typing errors probably because you were very excited about the blog and didn't proof it but we all so that sometimes.
Second, while I do agree with what you are saying I disagree at the same time. When you read history books the majority of it is about "white" people. Blacks don't have that much history in the books; whose fault is that? I dunno. But it has to be said. Next I really don't think it is that big of a deal. . . Because it has been around os long and I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH you saying teachers take a whole month to teach it because when I came up we observe it. Focused on it for a couple days and moved on and that was in elementary, middle,a nd high schools!
but everyone wants their own monument. It would be difficult to give everyone an entire month. Can you imagine? Vietnam-vet month, Women's month, Hispanic month, Postal service workers' month, sanitation month, female preacher liberation month, aids victims month, cancer patients month, adoption month, pets month, great doctors month, .........................................................
And all of these people deserve our acknowledgement but
There is already so many holidays, holimonths, etc., that there is no way I can keep up with them all now. None of my calendars have all of them on it either. Why does there have to be a day devoted to presidents day or a cinco de mayo, or all these other endless memorials. Tombstones and monuments belong in graveyards not the pages of my calendar.
There is a Women's History month (March) but it is not observed as much as Black History Month or Latin History Month.
First off- I am not racist, and neither is anyone who thinks or agrees with this. And that is a point in it's own, that this has become SUCH a touchy subject that we need to proclaim our non-racism before saying anything that separates one race from another.
Black history month is racist. White history month would be racist. Racism is separation of races in all simplicity and to create an entire month to acknowledge the acheivements of an entire race as a whole is discriminating to others. If there were no whites or asians or hispanics, black history month would not be the same. What we need to be celebrating is History Month- just plain and simple because we have all contributed to eachother's history.
I do not think you are trying to be racist but it appears that you are. Jim Crow laws were still in effect until 1964. That was what 40 years ago? The fact is, blacks have been in this country since the early 1600's. It wasn't until the 20th century that blacks got a place in history books. Blacks and whites in the civil rights movement understood why a black history celebration was neccesary. The reason you don't, yes, makes you racist. Because that would mean you have never tried to understand or truly realize why black history is something that we all, black and white should celebrate. Blacks have defended,built and helped shape this country, all along and still sometimes treated like 3rd class citizens. Blacks still face many prejudices, that will remain for years to come-I mean at least the rest of the time you are alive on this planet and because racists breed racist children, I am suspecting it will be around for many years to come.
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard
First of all, your assertion that theatre_for_the_future's argument results from racist views is ludicrous. With that said, allow me to attempt to represent his point, which has obviously been misrepresented in your mind. He is not saying that the history of black people (the struggles they have faced and overcome) should be ignored or treated as inherently less important than that of white people. But the point is that there is not more than one world history. There is one world, and its history is comprised of the accomplishments and downfalls of many different races and religions. Certainly Spanish history would be incomplete without recounting the period in which the Moors occupied the country; likewise, United States history would be incomplete without recognizing the unjust subjugation of black people. But Irish, Japanese, and American Indians suffered turmoil at the hands of our country as well, and they do not have months to celebrate their contributions. True, none of them were enslaved or repulsed by society like black Americans were (and, unfortunately, sometimes continue to be), but why should we belittle their sufferings and over comings because they were less severe than those of black Americans? Everyone has a story. Put them all together, and you have history. If you omit even one, you misrepresent history.
The Irish had poor living conditions and a lack of education, but let's remember, they came to America of their own free will. They had the ability to work for money , buy land, and educate at Universities. They were able to assimilate themselves into Americas culture and religion. They had a clear advantage, because they are white.
The Japanese were well compensated by the government.
The American Indians were given land and are still receiving taxpayer money. Let's be upset about these tax exempt tribes all over the country and their tax exempt casinos. Especially when there are truly very few true American Indians even alive today. I don't hear you screaming about that, and honestly I am way more concerned about how the government spends my money.
The government will never pay the reparations to blacks as once promised. So I am really not concerned or upset about black history month, I mean, America had to do something, who does it hurt. If you don't want to celebrate it, you really do not have to. You can just ignore it. But your hate will not let you.
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard
Sheila, you make a good point.
But could our government ever really pay adequate reparations for the travesties committed against black people in our country? One could consider affirmative action as an attempt on our government's part to make up for its too-long-lived inactive stance (or negative stance) toward black people, but really, isn't anything our country does at this point only going to be an attempt? We can never truly even begin to make up for what was suffered by black Americans at the hands of other Americans.
However, in your comment you illustrated part of my (and the original poster's) point: everyone has a story. The Irish overcame hardship, as well as the Japanese and the American Indians. They were compensated in different ways by our government, it is true. That is what is so interesting about history! To see how our country has fallen so horribly short of what is right at times and then to see what happens when good leaders emerge to set the wheels of morality in motion or to see how one event in history can change the entire dynamic of country for or against someone simply because of their heritage. Our history is at times troubling (at some times more than others), and that is why it should never be separated. If we do not embrace history as a whole, and take a critical look at how one event or person or period affected different people in our country (the beautiful Melting Pot!), then we are doomed to repeat our mistakes.
All that said, you are absolutely correct, Sheila. Black History month doesn't hurt anyone and I am not compelled to celebrate it. This place is just a forum for healthy discussion and debate on different subjects. No harm, no foul.