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.
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