Posted on 02/29/2012 8:39:22 AM PST by combat_boots
Why Black History Month? If a people has a past worth learning about, they also must have a future worth caring about.
Irvine, CA - When I was a child, Black History Month, which since 1976 has been celebrated in February each year in the United States, used to mean something.
Perhaps it was because I lived in the New York Metropolitan area in the still race-conscious 1970s and 1980s, but during February it was hard not to get at least a hint of an education about African American history and its contribution to the larger American mosaic, whether it was school activities or public service spots on television, or surrounding the growing chorus of voices to make Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday a national holiday.
True, February is the shortest month of the year; but contrary to urban legend that's not why it was chosen as Black History Month. Instead, it was because the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, perhaps the two most important figures before Martin Luther King in the quest for black freedom in the United States, both occurred in mid-February.
There were plenty of reasons to criticise the "ghettoising" of black American history into one short month. But the idea at least had the virtue of getting kids to think about the fact that there was such a thing as a specifically African American narrative within the larger, and largely white, version of American history we were being taught in school. And if you grew up in an urban, significantly black cultural milieu, the focus on history - that is, on black people having a past worth learning about - added a bit of extra gravitas to the increasing dominance of African American artistic production within American culture as a whole.
(Excerpt) Read more at aljazeera.com ...
Robot History Month?
Mark Levine is actually in our forthcoming film, “Other Walls 2 Fall,” and can be seen in our trailer at www.rockinthewallstudios.com under “Projects: In Production.”
I want a white history month. You know the race that contributed more to technology and cultural advancement of the human race than any other race. Oh wait I get called racist If Im proud of being white. Sick of the double standard as are millions more like me.
“celebrated in February each year “
Umm, Mark...I think the word is observed, not celebrated.
Many of us find it to be a contrived observance, much like kwnaza and the rest of the made up, fairy tale holidays.
American History is the subject that should broach the history of American immigrants of African origin.
I celebrate life, but not too many man-made, feel good events.
It still means nothing. Just more “White-washed” (rewritten “history”) all part of the PC Crowd’s “we’re good, you’re evil” mantra
I always fast forward. Note they selected the month with the fewest days lol.
I wouldn't be proud of that. Our culture is a sulphurous blast of vanity.
Here is what black history month is.
14-year-old brutally murders mother because she wouldn’t let him join gang
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 8:34:38 AM · by chessplayer.
Joshua Smith, 14, was at one of life’s crossroads. His mother, Tamiko Robinson, fought hard to keep the Detroit teen on the straight and narrow. Members of a local gang in their twenties pressured him to live life as they did, on the edge. Early Monday, Joshua made his decision. According to the Mail Online, he entered his stepfather’s room, got hold of a 12-gauge shotgun, and pumped at least ten rounds into his sleeping mother. The execution, carried out gangland style, was a clear and unambiguous message. It speaks volumes about two lives, destroyed in an instant.
Also note that ‘Presidents’ Day’ has become a shopping day/day off. Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays? Nah.
Ringtone to add and words for “The Black National Anthem”
http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-black-national-anthem-lyrics-james-weldon-johnson.html
And the MLK Birthday? Pander pander pander. Washington and Jefferson did far more for this country and Lincoln? Only held the Union together.
You know the race that contributed more to technology and cultural advancement of the human race than any other race.
True however the white guilt progressives and other hate America first clans will never stand for a white history month.
Which kind of white? Everybody has a commemorative month, or at least a week. Geeks have January; women, Irish-Americans and Greek Americans share March; Arab and Scotts Americans have April; Orientals and Jews get May; and the list goes on. There’s no double standard, you’re just not paying attention to when your sub group’s month is. Though I actually prefer to pay attention to other subgroups, subgroups with tasty cuisine, because often times their restaurants run specials in their months.
I’m an American-American.
Not counting the times when my normal work schedule gave me Monday off I only ever got President’s Day off once, oddly enough the year after the company I’m in got bought by a Canadian company. They dropped that holiday the next year though.
Because they’re not brought up at schools or workplaces.
Neither is black history month anymore. The only place I’ve seen BHM mentioned at all this year is here, people complaining about it. I haven’t even seen the History Channel mention it this year, which traditionally was the only place I ever heard about it from.
I think that the first Blackman my Grandfather met was a wandering Blacksmith who shod horses up in the Unitas in the 1900's.
We need a special month for each group—what about Indians who really had it bad in US history? Where is there day? Sitting Bulls Birthday? What about Asian Americans? They got it in the neck big time—Where is Charlie Chan day? What about Mormons? they were killed and even forced out of the nation—Where is our Joseph Smith Day? What about Mexicans—they faced a lot of problems? At least they have Cinco de Mayo. And us Irishmen—The Americans formed a whole political Party to try and keep us out (the Know Nothing Party)—at least we have St. Patties but it should be a National Holiday like MLK. This isn’t counting all the other groups who helped America be great.
Totally agree with your post.
Conversely, what has Africa or Islam contributed to modern man?
Show me one invention. Just one!
ITs only been a one way flow. And they want a 7 th century caliphate?
Bass ackwards fools, idiots supreme!
Tabula rasa.
Posted comment at the WINS Black History month webpage:
White history is coming to a grinding halt because we have given credence to this absurdity.ML/NJ
But, but 0bama said Islam helped America from herearliest times, and California tetbooks said muslims discovered America.
Really?
So we're going to get month-long features from many MSM (or even ANY) sources about the great "Orientals" in American History? Please keep me informed.
ML/NJ
what about Indians who really had it bad in US history? - November
What about Asian Americans? - May
Mormons get stiffed, but you guys have an entire state.
What about Mexicans—they faced a lot of problems? September
And us Irishmen - March
Everybody gets something, just gotta go look. Really everybody that whines about this should first go to this page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_observances_in_the_United_States_by_presidential_proclamation
You’ll probably find the group you think should be recognized on there somewhere. Except the Mormons apparently, but if Romney wins that’ll probably get “fixed”. Commemorative days, weeks and months are all over the place. You just don’t hear about them because there’s so many. Pretty much every day is a dozen “celebrations”.
Have there been month long features for Black History Month? I haven’t seen any. Like I said to somebody else, the only coverage I’ve seen of BHM this year is FReepers whining about it.
It’s brought up at schools, tv, and workplaces.
Mouthpieces want to hang slavery on the whiteman, and whiteman America.
Aint so.... more need to be aware and a great tool is the following vid.... which implies Islams long standing guilt in slaving...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT_RSDeAYjI
Why any self respecting blackman can participate in Islam is beyond me!
Not anyplace I’ve seen. I mean I’m sure it is somewhere. Doubtless BET (does that channel even still exist) is all over it, probably schools in black neighborhoods. But really if the FReepers would just stop pissing and moaning about it I would have gone the entire BHM without being reminded it was BHM. People gotta get over it, commemorative months happen, every month has a bunch, some get more recognized than others, maybe your aren’t as celebrated as other, life’s not fair that way, suck it up.
All part of the big lie from the greatest liar and conman of ALL TIMES to EVER hit America’s shores!
Are you black?
Call me racist or whatever, but I am damn sick and disgusted with this African American and Hispanic American hyphenated ethnic crapola. Either they are Americans or they are not. If African or Hispanic first, then they can go to hell.
Thank you.
I am getting a headache. Must be blood pressure.
You're not paying attention. You could follow the link I gave at post #23 on this thread; or you could check GoogleNews which reports "about 11,500 results" during the past month.
ML/NJ
Then I must assume you would be really, really upset if I called myself an... 
a Robot-American?
What really burns me is that there is slavery in this world NOW. Right NOW. Revenge for something from 150-500 or more years ago is so 1863.
Sudan, Somolia, wherever Islam lives.... even Obama’s Arab Spring franchises....that we paid for.
About as white as a person can get, German heritage, in the software business, listen to heavy metal and prog rock.
I’ve got 6500 hits on American Heart Month which is also February. Who should we blame for that?
The only reason BHM is as big as it is (which isn’t actually very big at all) is because there are members of the black community that work their butts off to make it big. And your link is meaningless, one local channel whoooo. It’s supposed to be a NATIONAL month where the NATIONAL big deal about it? There isn’t one, except probably on BET.
Yeah. Just a little local link.
To the most listened to radio station in the largest market in the country. The reason I know about it is that I hear this cr@p every morning while I'm shaving.
You could also read bilge like this from AT&T or this from GM.
Keep me posted when you see similar nonsense about Jewish History Month.
ML/NJ
Pander is correct.
MLK plagiarized his dissertation, was an adulterer and hired prostitutes. Politicians in Washington decided he should be honored instead of George Washington.
If that is not pandering, what is?
Then maybe you should try a different radio station.
If you want Jewish American Heritage Month to get similar notice DO IT. This doesn’t happen on accident, this happens because people put work into it. Get your favorite synagog & Jewish community center & kosher deli to start a festival, introduce people to the wonderful world of kosher pastrami. We have a huge Greek festival every year in Tucson, not because we have a lot of Greeks but because the Greeks we do have are willing to put forth the work to make it happen. So go ahead and make it happen, if you took half the time you’re spending complaining about BHM and put it into making JAHM an event it would already be one.
There has been a little thing kicking around the last few years in Virginia called “The Slavery Museum”.
It is undergoing bankruptcy and reorganization again.
Only problem is they are not allowed to depict or mention slaves being slaves etc.
Sorry but isn’t that tantamount to having a Navy Museum and not being able to mention or show the fact that humans actually lived aboard Navy ships in bad conditions?
You said it didn't happen at all.
I, for one, wouldn't want any notice of a stupid "Jewish History Month." I would find it condescending and demeaning.
maybe you should try a different radio station.
I listen to WINS in the morning because it at least gives the weather every few minutes. I used to listen to WCBS, but when they continued to celebrate Dan Rather after he was caught red-handed committing fraud, I switched. Since then, all these stations are now owned by the same corporation, but WINS is the only one that doesn't preempt its regular news (such as it is) schedule for meaningless baseball and/or basketball games. So if it's okay with you, I'll keep listening.
ML/NJ
It’s not happening as much as some whiners want to think. It certainly is the “biggest” of the ethnic commemorative months, but it’s not that big. Really not one mention on History Channel at all, not the network or the website. The freaking History Channel which used to totally obsess on BHM hasn’t even mentioned it.
Well if you don’t want your month (which is May by the way) recognized then why are you even complaining?
Get the weather off the web, the night before. That’s how I get it. If you really MUST get it on the radio I’m sure there’s half a dozen other station in the NYC area that give it regularly. If you don’t like the content but keep listening that’s YOUR fault. I don’t listen to any radio station at all, because I have better content than they do.
Because I find Black History Month to be pure pandering. They don't even consider the blacks that are most deserving of a spotlight because I guess they are all "Toms."
We really don't need to pretending that there are alternate histories. Yes, there can be different emphasis and/or focus, but anyone who is teaching Maya Angelou as literature needs to be removed. We need to be teaching real American History and real English Literature to a population now almost completely ignorant of it.
ML/NJ
Of course it’s pandering, ALL the commemorative days weeks and months are pandering. Mothers Day? Pandering. Fathers Day? Pandering. Hurricane Preparedness Week? Pandering. Fire Prevention Month? Pandering. That’s the whole point of these things, to pander to some group the sitting president want to vote for him by giving them the false impression he cares about them on an individual level. They’re all stupid, none of them are really more stupid than the rest, some of them can be useful for getting cheap food though so it’s good to know when they are (like Jan 23 is National Pie Day, good day to hit your favorite pie place).
And the bad news is Maya Angelou would get taught as literature even without BHM. All the wrong people (the literati) love her crap. But that’s really a whole other ball of spew.
Maybe you're stupid equating Black History Month with Mother's Day?
Maybe when your mother is young, it seems stupid but when she's in her 80s like my mom is, maybe it will be cause for one more plane trip to go spend some time with her. It is for me.
ML/NJ
So you can’t be nice to your mom on days not Mother’s Day? Meanwhile it became so commercialized that the woman whose push made it happen got tired of it. And it spawned all the other days, and weeks, and months. It created the commemoration industry. We probably wouldn’t even have BHM if there hadn’t been Mother’s Day. So yeah they’re equated alright.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.