Are those African Americans who are rallying to end Black History Month buying trouble for themselves and the black community? Do their arguments that "black people only have a history as slaves in America", that outside of February, blacks have no history, and no significance, that they are even more exploitable now that they have a month that can be commercialized, with huge financial gains for folk other than blacks, hold water?
Is the idea that since there are no months for Jews and Latinos and Asians (and so on), that there should be none for blacks, a valid idea?
Does the argument that "Black History is American History" sufficient rationalization for the abolition of Black History Month?
Is the organization that founded the commemoration right in labeling this "postmodernist identity games"?
Is an America without Black History Month an America without black history?
49 comments:
"Independent Lens" is the show I am watching, and it is described as "a satirical campaign to end Black History Month." But there are people who espouse one or more of the ideas expressed in the questions it has raised.
All valid questions..all ...
I cannot even pretend to answer..
I will sleep on this one...g'night Kae..
What they are and have been doing is getting black history to be taught all in american and world history instead of 1 month a year.............
G'night Jillian. :)
I'm not really expecting answers, though...just wanting to post something I find interesting, and perhaps spark some discussion.
"History is about power...the power to control the story."
But even then, once the story has been told, it's over. Isn't it?...
All history is remembered differently by each individual.....
I know..I just didn't want to pass through without commenting...I am still jetlagging.. :)
Indeed...and the ones who write it down have taken and made THEIR perspectives the ones to trust. But are they reliable? Can we, indeed, SHOULD we trust them?
I know this is off topic, but why do we have to have African Americans/Asian American/Mexican Americans/Jewish Americans and so on, why can't we just be plain old Americans. Why can't we just teach American History
DING DING DING DING DING!!! We have a winner!
Why are we teaching what amounts to a separate based on race? This is backwards segregationist thinking. I understand why it started and the reason it started was valid - and as far as I can tell it has achieved the goal of integrating the whole story into the general education.
Even if our history books in the public schools suck.
It's not off topic at all! It fits right in with the discussion. :)
Anyone care to answer?
It has to be taught in segments so that you can understand what each group of people went through by immigrating to our country and assimilating or in many cases the blocks that have been and still prevent assimilation. I have a minor in African history an there is no way everyone can know everything in a month or in a year. The goal of history month is to educate what isn't a part of mainstream education. We don't know history if we don't look at a multitude of perspectives and understandings. I'm frightened at the prospect of anyone taking away a chance to educate.
Of course, we all have to agree that, as was said elsewhere, the ones recording the history have great power to distort the facts, to present their version, their understanding of events. So when we lobby for one history of the US, we are trusting that the historians will be reliable, trustworthy, unbiased, objective scholars and thinkers, eh?
On the show last night, the host interviewed a woman whose child was taught, in her history class -- and yes, it was in the book she was studying from -- that Africans came to the US to pick cotton and help on the plantations. Does anyone see the omissions inherent in this retelling of events? Does anyone see the intent to obscure the whole truth behind what doesn't even amount to a half-truth? Does anyone see how a turn of phrase can rob the painful history of slavery of its poignancy, and remove any feeling of outrage?
Or is that just me?
My point? Teaching "one" history" can be as dangerous, and perhaps even more so, than pointing out the separate histories of those who have come to make this country's citizenry.
Unfortunately there are myths and inaccurate perceptions in all history. There is so much information that wouldn't be acknowledged if we didn't teach. One history is dangerous but no history is devastating. We can only hope to expel myths with education
I guess I'm cynical these days because of the persons who are running my school, and my school system, and my fear that what is important these days is precisely NOT education, but statistics and the way they can be manipulated to show "truths" that will bring more money into the coffers of the decision-makers.
If we were honestly interested in educating people's children, we would strive to ensure that all the facts, palatable and unpalatable, are presented, and we would teach them how to read critically for themselves, and understand how what we do in school is merely a preparation for a much more important task, which is to be citizens who can decipher truth from falsehood, even when the falsehood is sugar-coated and demonstrated with statistics!
Find the publisher of the book and shoot them, along with the authors, for candy-coating the reality of how they were brought here and in what conditions they were kept here. Shame on them.
I have to agree, Guy! It's unconscionable!
hey kae.... was wondering what the deal was in your blog re those in the af-am comm who're trying to end black history month? hadn't heard that... now reading your first comment, okay, a satirical show you were watching tho some espouse such ideas..
annnd, re some of the comments... and maybe i missed mention of it... the prob with history books back in the day was they left out some crucial realities specific to slavery and also the positive things blacks have contributed to this country.. (george washington carver, et al)... not sure what's in history books now, maybe they've been revised and give a fuller account of this country's earlier years...
and re other groups not having months.. i think it's in large part based on the slavery aspect that had been left out of the 'official' but lacking history books and such... other groups were not shackled n' forced to contribute to building this country...
remembering back to junior year in high school... where we had all of one black teacher and two (maybe three?) black students... i was in the school library one day... now, i've already told you stories such as my dad sitting next to mlk, jr, on a plane ride and them talking about both being ministers as well as involved with civil rights (my dad being close friends with a minister in harlem)... sooo, one day in the library i came across 'manchild in the promised land' and started reading... and couldn't put it down... and that was immediately followed by 'native son' and 'autobiography of malcolm x' and 'soul on ice'... most students weren't reading any of that, but i attribute my getting into 'em based in large part on my dad's experiences (going down to d.c. for martin's 'i have a dream speech' and all)...
sooooo, i think it's a more-than-deserved month.... since the reality of it all wasn't acknowledge for so many years..
This is one argument for celebrating it, David, because so much of the history is told in the literature.
When is there going to be a Native American History Month?
Answer: Never, because even as awful as the treatment of the African-descent slaves was, the attempt at extermination of the native people was horrific beyond words and this country has a real problem facing the atrocities we committed in our time.
yes.. literature is a strong reason...
and again, the fact that african-americans have an entirely different history as to being in this country.. i've got jewish and asian friends who don't think there's any need for such 'months' for their group, cuz they weren't forced into anything, but do think there should continue to be february for black history..
That was a curiously absent part of the discussion last night, Guy! There was talk from Jews and others, but I never heard anyone ask about the Native Americans.
and yes, as to guy's comment which just popped up... there should be a native american history month
What has been done to the indigenous population would be called a war crime by today's standards.
(pssst, kae.. i just posted this week's mmm blog... annnd, this week's word is pride... hmmm, seems there could be a connection 'tween your post here and mine there? yeah, that's a gentle nudge if some song/story comes to mind)
Absolutely!
I know, David. I posted a Teddy P song just now that is the beginning of my thinking on the MMM for this week.
I'm a Native American with a lil Spanish (as in Spain) What I really like to know is why is there some many people that say their Have Native American blood in them, and they all say it Cherokee. There are hundred of different tribes out their, but why always Cherokee. Now I know the Cherokee Nation is quite large, but so is the Navaho Nation. My family is from neither tribe.
I know precious little about the Native American Nations, and what little I do know I think is somewhat muddled. But I am always very interested in finding out more.
Id guess the huge territory traveled on appalachian trail an trail of tears.
If you haven't traveled it, its gorgeous an peaceful
Its kinda funny in a sick way, people still think their still fenced in, and that the Government control them, which in fact is not true. Maybe at one time, but not anymore. The Government tried to Tax them a few years back & threaten them, But they all pulled to gather an won. Did you know a lot of major hwys go through the reservations? well that how they one!
Have you ever been to New Mexico?
No never been there. I traveled over half the appalachian trail tho. Id like to visit it sometime
I'm part Chickasaw and Choctaw.
Cool A man that know tribes!
Its beautiful something you can't describe!
I assumed this.
It's on my bucket list!
Okay, this is probably a silly question. Choctaw, Chippewaw, and Chickasaw...all the same Nation?
You have to go, there is something mystical about it.
New Mexico is good for your soul!
No they are different tribes!
I need some of that! :)
Okay...now I'm confused. I thought that the tribes made up Nations. Am I wrong?
I try to make it as big as I can, hope this helps
I'll try to fine something better!
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=united+state+native+american+map&view=detail&id=8463739B505AAEE7AC97A6EBB10FC932F4659492&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR
We have Holocaust Memorial Day - lots of events and TV and radio programming for people who know about it, ad evry interesting it is too.
http://hmd.org.uk/
I'm not aware of black history day here though the media have series on every kind of history imaginable. If you go to some parts of the country the museums etc are specifically focussed on certain ethnic groups because those are the people who happen to live in the area and whose school children might visit the most and be the most interested.
People get excited about Chinese New Year but there's no specific Chinese History Day, or an Indian one though most people know about Diwali, o Islamic Day though nearly every town has communities who are Muslim.
The anti-black history people seem to be wanting to bury their head in the sand, like a lot of Germans who would rather "look forward" and not have to think about their Nazi past, ditto the Japanese.
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