Black history month has always been a rather dubious occasion for me. On the one hand, the accomplishments of many great Americans is not given the same importance and respect as others. On the other hand, without question these actions have equally changed and/or impacted our country’s current state. Truly the actions of individuals like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, Louis Armstrong and Martin Luther King (to name the most obvious) would not have had the same outcome had they been birthed under different circumstances. But how these heroes and many others chose to face their adversity changed lives and altered thinking in all of America. That said, I always laugh at the results when Black History is a topic on Jeopardy!
In school we learned American history in the context of surrounding events, people and geography. Black history was reduced to a few names and dates with no real contextual background, thus making it more difficult to embrace and decreasing its value. Here in New Orleans, one of our major landmarks is named Robert E. Lee Circle, after the failed Confederate general with no real connection to the city at all. A major elementary school is named for Robert Mills Lusher, a staunch segregationist and superintendent of schools in the late 1800s–how ironic is that?!? Black History month, indeed! Let it be embraced on behalf of all Americans. Yes, through all the years of our great country’s development, black folk have contributed something. The implication, however, is that it’s a celebration of Black history, separate of the American story, which is clearly, something else.
Exactly. You cannot understand American history without understanding Black history, because it’s at the heart of the whole story! I’m glad for the specific effort to teach and learn this history, but why we should need to set aside a special time as opposed to doing this all the time? Might not setting aside mean setting apart, in a distorting way?
Or consider what it might mean to black children to learn that they can take pride in this heritage for… one designated month! No, it has to be bigger than this, if we’re not going to misrepresent our shared American story. I think it would help if we all learn to cherish black history as our history, rather than imagining it’s a special thing for a special interest group. Even though it is especially important for black children to be built up by seeing the greatness of leaders who came before, all children should celebrate these stories and take pride in them as Americans. Who among us can learn about the four lives you mention without feeling such pride and cherishing?