On Black History Month

Posted on by under Black History Month, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary, Tributes

I wrote this post at the beginning of Black History Month in the year 2018, explaining the reasons for Black History Month and my reasons for highlighting it.  That was then … and today, some six years later, there is even more reason to bring this post back into the spotlight.  In the last year or two, we have seen numerous efforts to stifle or halt the teaching of Black history in our schools, we have seen books by African-American writers banned, and we have seen restrictive voting laws that are intended to keep Black people away from the polls, to take away their rights to have a say in their government.  Racism and other forms of bigotry are almost becoming the ‘norm’ in the United States, and WE MUST STOP IT!  Sometimes I say that a post is “as relevant today as it was back then”, but when it comes to these Black History Month posts, I think they are MORE relevant today than when they were first written.

black history quoe1The History:

The origins of Black History Month date back to 1926 when Harvard historian Carter G. Woodson declared the second week in February ‘Negro History Week’.  February was chosen as it coincided with the birthdates of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

Black History Month was first proposed by black educators and the Black United Students at Kent State University in February 1969. The first celebration of Black History Month took place at Kent State one year later, in February 1970.

In 1976, during America’s bicentennial, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, urging Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history”.

black history quote2The Purpose:

Some question the need for a special month during which to celebrate black history, but I would argue that historically in this nation, the contributions of African-Americans have been minimalized,  swept under the rug.  I grew up during the Civil Rights era, and I cannot recall during my primary or secondary education learning about the contributions of Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, C.J. Walker, Bessie Coleman or others.  Yet, their lives contributed to what our nation has become just as much as any others.

This nation was founded on diversity, yet that concept seems to have gotten lost somewhere along the way. No single race or its culture can define this nation, and to fully understand our history and who we are today, we need to be able to look at our past from a variety of perspectives.  And yet, we often fail to do that, we fail to recognize the contributions by Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans, and African-Americans.

Black history (just like Hispanic, Asian, European, and Native history) belongs to all of us — black and white, men and women, young and old.  The impact African Americans have made on this country is part of our collective consciousness. Contemplating Black history draws people of every race into the grand and diverse story of this nation.

98f/42/hgmp/12704/tep039In 1964, author James Baldwin reflected on the shortcomings of his education. “When I was going to school, I began to be bugged by the teaching of American history because it seemed that that history had been taught without cognizance of my presence.”

This year, perhaps more than any in the past five decades, bigotry and racism are raising their ugly faces.  White supremacism is seemingly on the rise, and bigotry flows down from the highest office in the nation.  I think that now, more than at any time in our recent history, it is important for us to stop a minute, turn our attentions away from the three-ring circus in Washington, and remind ourselves of the contributions and achievements of our brothers and sisters who have given so much to this country.

Another year, I might have committed to a daily post to honour the contributions of African-Americans throughout this nation’s history.  This year, due to the toxic environment on which I feel compelled to opine, and with my limited visual acuity, I am unable to do so, but I plan at least a few posts about people who I think made special and interesting contributions, and I will include some trivia at the end of some of my other posts.  It is little enough, but hopefully you will learn at least one thing you didn’t already know about our history, our culture.

black history quoet3

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27 thoughts on “On Black History Month”

    • Yes, Morgan Freeman is 100% spot on! Some arrogant people with pale skin in this country seem to think that Black people are somehow less worthy, less than human, less deserving. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr … xx

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  3. Pingback: On Black History Month | Filosofa’s Word | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  5. (Grumpy warning…) No one folk’s complete History stands up to ethical scrutiny.
    That said, let us celebrate the positive by each and every race, lest White Extremists and Malcontents gained more traction. Let them keep on facing up to the reality.
    That other folks made this world too

    Liked by 3 people

    • Well said, my friend. People from every race/ethnicity, religion, gender, etc., have contributed to what the world is today — some in positive ways, others not so much. But it’s largely the straight, white, Christian ones who get the credit while the others go largely unnoticed.

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      • Quite so Jill.
        ‘White Races’ are approximately 13- 15% of the world population.
        That must worry the heck out the ultra neurotic section, hence their disproportionate wailing and bleating.
        (Still 70%-ish in the USA though. So all their fears are so much hoo-hah)

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      • Maybe just the eyes are prejudiced? Aristotle was no christian and George Washington Carver inspired chemists of all races teaching any who wanted to learn. Too many think destruction must precede construction. Dragging white men down will not lift black men up.😢

        Liked by 1 person

        • I’ve no intention of “dragging white men down”, except those who deserve it. There are many prejudices in this world, but the stupidest of all is that of hating or denigrating solely on the basis of ethnicity (skin colour).

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  6. Boo hoo hoo no one wants to hear my story.😢Tell a story someone wants to retell. Where are the stories of lost professions like the clysters blowers for french nobility. Somebody is always blowing smoke.😉

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  7. A good reminder, Jill. Thank you.
    Now sll we need is a Red History month, a Yellow History month, a Brown History month, an Olive history month, a Rainbow History month, a Herstory month, and maybe, just maybe, a White History month. Including Black History month, that still leaves 4 other months to be filled up by other groupings if people. I would suggest a Mass Murderer History month, but it might take a year to mention all the mass murderers Ametica has had over its lifetime — and I’m not sure they should be given recognition anyway. Maybe someone has some better suggestions…

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    • Well, Black History Month is intended to honour all those who made a difference, who helped this nation come out of the dark ages. I’m not sure that honouring mass murders is a good idea! And yet, we cannot erase their names from history as we might wish to do, either. Maybe someday we will grow up enough to just have one day … Humanity Day, or something like that.

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      • I was thinking more a say where ppictures of mass murderers are put out in public, and anyone sho wants to can deface the pucture however they desire. Sort of a chsnce to get all you frustrations etc out in a peaceful manner.

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        • Earlier this evening, I was working on my Alexei Navalny post and daughter Chris was on her laptop when all of a sudden she burst out in laughter. I turned to her and asked what was so funny, and her reply was, “this conversation between you and rawgod about mass murderers.” That said, yeah, okay, I’ll go with the public target pictures where we can all take out our angst on them … but can we have one of Trump, too, even though technically he’s not (yet) considered a mass murderer?

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