Black History Month was first officially recognized in 1926
when the Association for the Study of African American Life and History sponsored
a National Negro History Week in February to coincide with the birthdays of
Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas. It was the brainchild of black historian,
Carter G. Woodson, and was organized in order to celebrate and display all that
black culture had to offer. During the Civil Rights Movement, the holiday grew
to encompass a whole month in recognition of African American Culture. However,
at this point it was celebrated unofficially at many college campuses and
various schools. It was made a national holiday by President Ford in 1976 and
since then it has been recognized by every American president.
Despite its status as a national holiday, many Americans are
still oblivious to most of the achievements of African Americans. I myself only
recently discovered the work of black poets such as Maya Angelou and Gwendolyn
Brooks. This is partly because black culture is not fully encompassed in the curriculum
of American schools. Only the parts that relate to white history are included;
we learn about slavery and the civil rights movements, but because it is also
important to white culture and history. I did not know about the Harlem renaissance
until middle school, whereas we were taught about the Renaissance in Italy in
elementary school. Both had exceptional innovations and none of them deserve to
be belittled in history. This further proves the need for a Black History
Month, but it also shows that maybe there is more that could be done for black
equality.
I agree with everything being said. From a young age, children are taught about the accomplishments of the white race. Only a small portion such as slavery, as you mentioned, are taught. I think history should be taught as it happened, no matter what race or ethnicity the people were. Schools should include black history month more into the curriculum to show the children how far we have come and how much more we need to go.
ReplyDeleteI too agree with all the points being made. Throughout my academic career I have noticed that black history was scarcely a topic and when it was mentioned, it was how it affected the white race. Slavery for example, was prominent in some literature that was read in school, but even these stories were told by a white person's point of view. Black history should be included more into the curriculum and not only from the white race's point of view. The more black history that is introduced in the education system will teach children early on the affects of racism and the hardships that it created for the black race. This will create new generations that are aware of the tragic affects of racism.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that despite Black History Month being a holiday, most people do not know the achievements of Black Americans. I myself did not know it was Black History Month until I saw the filter on snapchat, though I do not 100% agree with the idea of one month dedicated to Black Americans. The point of Black History Month is to inspire equality and show how far we have come as a nation. It is supposed to be centered around what Black Americans have accomplished and the influence it has had on America as a whole. That goal is not achieved and if anything, Black History Month should be a culture awareness month or a month that is dedicated to all cultures and how they have paved the road that America was built on. This culture awareness month should be the starting point of recognizing all that was done to sculpt America to what it is today. I feel that the idea of Black History Month was wise with pure intentions, but to some people the message is clouded and seen as it being unequal for Black Americans to have one month for themselves, even though it is rarely celebrated. For that reason, it should be a culture awareness month solely to dissipate the idea of it being unfair, and to recognize all the sacrifices made by all cultures and to emphasize the equality of it all.
ReplyDeleteIt frustrates me that the American public refuses to accept African-American culture. Systemic racism is a problem in our country, and it is prevalent in the education system. How can we call ourselves a free and accepting country when we do not celebrate diversity? Each culture that impacts America is important. Students should learn the value of other cultures, and they should not accept the lack of diversity present in their education. Every person who lives in America makes it unique, and stereotypes shouldn't define the people who make America great. Education is supposed to make students open minded; it should not teach them to be ignorant. If we continue to only celebrate certain cultures, it will be easy for our students to become biased. How can we expect them to become interactive global citizens when they aren't encouraged to learn about the cultures of their own country?
ReplyDeleteI agree that black culture has to play a larger role in the current curriculum of every student. However, the key is to not overload and saturate it with black poems, black novels and black music. Black history and literature should be incorporated, yet it should be in roughly the same amount as white culture and any other culture occupying our country. However, in opposition to previous discussion, I don't believe that white people have the upper hand any longer when it comes to college scholarships or getting a job. It seems that in order to create more diverse and seemingly less "racist" schools and corporations, business owners are seeking out minorities. It seems that a black man with the same qualifications as a white man might have a higher chance of getting the job, if the business or college is predominately white; many colleges have been mostly white for a long time. I also don't believe that Black history month is necessary because black culture should be infused in American History at all times, not just in one month.
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