The Pros and Cons of Black History Month

Originally posted on The Grio.com

Black History Month is a refreshingly festive time of the year for most of us. Our national choice to give reverence to the contributions of African-Americans is worthy of celebration. If grades were given for effort, we would earn at least a B+ for our joint commitment to allocating a special time to observe and respect African-American history.

But effort is not always enough. Good intentions are a necessary, though not sufficient requirement for us to win the fight for racial equality in America. So, given that our nation has convinced itself that Black History Month should be celebrated, we must now begin to understand how Black History Month might be celebrated in order to be most effective.

My first thought: Why is slavery never really on the table for serious discussion during Black History Month? We are consistently told to remember the Holocaust of Nazi Germany, but for some reason, any meaningful conversation about slavery tends to be reduced to quick mentions of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and (of course) Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps the reason we are so quick to remember the Jewish Holocaust but want to forget the African-American holocaust is because the latter is simply too close to home. It’s easy to vilify Adolf Hitler for killing Jews, but not good business to do the same to Thomas Jefferson for his ownership of slaves. Perhaps instead of Black History Month, we should consider “Black Honesty Month” and actually talk about what really happened during slavery.

Second thought: Why does the black history conversation have to start with slavery anyway? Were there no black people in existence before the 17th century? After casually mentioning the arrival of slaves to America, we then rattle off a list of standard achievements: “A black man invented this,” or “John Q. Blackman was the first to accomplish that.” All the while, there is little or no acknowledgment of the great civilizations of Africa to match the incessant drilling of Greek and Roman history into the heads of our kids.

While I am certainly proud of African-Americans who’ve led the way with marvelous inventions and achievements, we must be careful about how our presentation of the message affects the self-esteem of black children. By starting our history as “those people who were eventually freed from slavery by a white man (Lincoln),” we are reminding our kids that the primary quest for black people is to achieve equality with whites. White achievement becomes the ceiling of our greatness, which only serves to guarantee our second-class citizenship.

Third thought: Does a celebration of Black History Month negate the need for more productive conversations about modern day structural inequality? We tend to talk about the history of race in America as if the past is completely disconnected from the present. We discuss how “they used to treat black people back then” without realizing that “they” created the foundation of the society in which we live. Without meaningful discussions of present day manifestations of structural racism, including the education, prison and economic systems, we have forfeited our ability to discuss the past in a constructive way.

Fourth thought: Given that most Americans are woefully uneducated on African-American history, it is clear that allocating one month to the topic is not satisfactory. Why not allow all American children to receive a more holistic and integrated historical education that includes African Americans? By relegating black historical education to one month out of the year, have we created a “Chronological reservation,” a space of time that is owned by blacks, but keeps blackness trapped within its borders? Are black history courses mandatory at most universities? Are children in public school being taught a sufficient amount of black history? Perhaps creating a generation of children who are better informed on the history of race relations might help our nation avoid producing the next Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity. Analyzing the present without understanding the past will almost always lead us to incorrect conclusions. The problem is that most of us don’t know enough about the past to put the present into its proper context.

I enjoy the celebration of Black History Month, and our nation has made a relatively sincere effort to show respect for African-American achievement. But there is certainly more to be desired, and we can only improve our understanding of black history if we consciously acknowledge that there is more for us to learn. Black history is not a 300-year montage of inventions, laws and liberations. It is every bit as complex as the history of any other group of people, and the complexity should be recognized.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the initiator of the National Conversation on Race. For more information, please visit BoyceWatkins.com.

Teaching Tools: Black History Month

Thank You Dr. King

This is the day set aside to honor one of our national heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King,Jr.  Here are some facts about Dr. King:

Martin Luther King Quick Facts

Birth	January 15, 1929
Death	April 4, 1968
Place of Birth	Atlanta, Georgia
Known for	Leading the civil rights movement in the United States
	Advocating nonviolent protest against segregation and racial discrimination
Milestones	1954 Selected as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama
	1955 Received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University
	1955-1956 Led a successful effort to desegregate Montgomery, Alabama, buses
	1957 Helped found and served as the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
	1958 Published Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story
	1963 Wrote ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail,’ arguing that it was his moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws
	1963 Delivered his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech to civil rights marchers at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
	1964 Won the Nobel Peace Prize
	1965 Organized a mass march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, that created national support for federal voting-rights legislation
	1968 Was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee
Quote	‘I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.’ August, 1963, in a speech to civil rights supporters at the March on Washington.
Did You Know	King’s nonviolent doctrine was strongly influenced by the teachings of Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi.
	In 1964, King became the first black American to be honored as Time magazine’s Man of the Year.
	King’s efforts were not limited to securing civil rights; he also spoke out against poverty and the Vietnam War.

“Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2006
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Quotes–Famous and Not so Famous:

 The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963.

If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.

Martin Luther King, Jr., speech, Detroit, Michigan, June 23, 1963.

We must combine the toughness of the serpent and the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963.
 

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction….The chain reaction of evil–hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars–must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength To Love, 1963.

It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Wall Street Journal, November 13, 1962.

I decided early to give my life to something eternal and absolute. Not to these little gods that are here today and gone tomorrow, but to God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

 

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Trans-Atlantic Slave Voyages

Emory University has released a free online database granting access to records of transatlantic slave voyages.  The database allows readers to search voyages databases, see estimates of the slave trade, and explore the African names database.  The Trans-Atlantic Slave Voyage Database has information on almost 35,000 slaving voyages between the 16th and 19th century.  Over 10 million Africans were forcibly moved-one the largest forced movement of peoples in world history.  It not only covers passages to North America, but to the Carribean, South America, and Europe.  Educators are also given lesson plans and online resources to give students an in-depth lesson on the realities of the slave trade and the impact that it has today.  Maps and photos are also provided to paint the picture of the customs, traditions, and practices of the “business” of transporting human lives.  Please take the time and browse through–be enlightened!

www.slavevoyages.org

Duke Ellington Coin!

Be still my heart.  Not only do we have an African-American President, but now we have an African-American on a coin!  Yes, money!  Famed jazz performer and activist Duke Ellington is featured on the new District of Columbia Quarter.  It is part of the U.S. Mint’s line of state-themed quarters.  This is yet another historical achievement for Americans of African decent.

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was born into a middle-class family in Washington, D.C. in 1899.  He began piano lessons at the age of seven.  He began performing professionally at the age of 17.  His career spanned over 50 years.  Ellington led his band from 1923 until his death in 1974.

As both a composer and a band leader, Ellington’s reputation has increased since his death, with many repackagings of his signature music often becoming best-sellers. Ellington enjoyed a career full of accolades and earned 13 Grammy awards from 1959 to 2000, nine while he was alive.   Posthumous recognition of his work include a special award citation from the Pulitzer Prize Board.

Duke Ellington influenced millions of people both around the world and at home. He gave American music its own sound for the first time. In his fifty year career, he played over 20,000 performances in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East as well as Asia.

Ellington Quotes

“Now I can say loudly and openly what I have been saying to myself on my knees.”

“A problem is your chance to do your best.”

Notable African-American Quotes

A spiritual renaissance is what is needed among young African-American people. Any attempt at building racial and cultural institutions in our communities without a spiritual renaissance–a vibrant embrace of faith–will produce symbols but not substance.

Anthony A. Parker

Neither the old=time slavery, nor continued prejudice need extinguish self-respect, crush manly ambition or paralyze effort…
Paul Robeson

No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow. Alice Walker

We must focus on those things within us that allow others to control us, know those who would empower themselves to control us and understand that the forces can be brown male or female, white male or female, as well as our selves.
Andrea Canaan
It often requires more courage to suffer in silence than to rebel, more courage not to strike back than to retaliate, more courage to be silent than to speak.
Booker T. Washington

The cost of liberty is less than the cost of repression.
W.E.B.  Du Bois

If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

The major threat to blacks in America has not been oppression, but rather the loss of hope and absence of meaning.
Cornel West

In your lifetime if you come up with one good idea you have accomplished a great deal.
Max Roach

Black History Month:Olaudah Equiano

When the average American thinks of Black History Month and the purpose of it most of us automatically focus our attention on the Civil Rights Movement and the leaders that emerged during that era.  Although that period was certainly a notable for Americans of African descent it gives only a small glimpse at the beautiful portrait of the landscape of “black” history.

From the early arrival of African slaves, through the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights era, and into the 21st century our faith has shaped and molded our culture.  In observance of Black History Month, Sisters of the Faith will pay homage to the many notable but, seldom recognized, men and women that contributed to the unshakable connections between our faith and our moral values.  Read more

Business Spotlight: February 2009

Okay Sisters, as promised we have chosen the first business for our Monthly Business Spotlight.  I recently had the pleasure of meeting a lovely young woman who has used her God given talent to create an educational board game for children.  Robin Walker has an infectious smile and her face just glows when she begins to describe The Continental Whiz, Jr.  Robin says her daughter was the inspiration for the game.  “I wanted to  help make learning fun for her,” Walker says.  During the developmental stages she was able to test the game at different public and private schools.   “It was designed to stimulate children’s minds“, she adds “so many parents and educators often become frustrated with different learning styles of their children.  That’s why The Continental Whiz, Jr. is customizable.”

“The Continental Whiz is a board game that will not only provide children with hours of enjoyment, it is also an extremely powerful tool that puts the fun back into learning. The game is interactive and fun for ages three to adult.   It’s available in three age groups.   The Continental Whiz is the ideal learning companion that will grow with a child’s level of intelligence and/or level of maturity in the classroom or the living room. The game comes packaged with a timer, game board, die, pencil, score pad, and question cards,” Robin explains.

A braile version and several different translations including Spanish, German, Latin, French, and Japanese are available.   Anything can be incorportated into The Continental Whiz, Jr.  For, example if you are a home schooler or a teacher you could place a special order and have a custom board designed per your specifications.  “We are willing to do anything to further a child’s education,” say Walker.  Studies have shown that the learning process of the game board is enjoyable and the retention rate and interest level of the user will increase dramatictcally.

It comes in history, math, social studies, english, geography, science, chemistry and a Bible version is currently in development. Walker adds that, ” The Continental Whiz can be customized to each individual state school curriculum.“  I was especially impressed with the Black History version of The Continental Whiz, Jr.  I haven’t seen anything quite like it.  What an awesome way for my children to learn about their heritage.

For more information about Robin Walker and The Continental Whiz visit Bright Horizon, Inc. or call (910) 470-9168.   Turn the Globe with Knowledge with the Continental Whiz!

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The History of Black History Month

February marks the beginning of Black History Month, a federally recognized, nation-wide celebration that provides the opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the significant roles that African Americans have played in the shaping of U.S. history. But how did this celebration come to be — and why does it take place in February?

                                                                  

Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King       African-American Sharecropper       Malcom X

We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.

- Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) on founding Negro History Week, 1926

Dr. Carter G. Woodson, considered to be a pioneer in the study of African American history, is given much of the credit for Black History Month. The son of former slaves, Woodson spent his childhood working in coalmines and quarries. He received his education during the four-month term that was customary for black schools at the time. At 19, having taught himself English fundamentals and arithmetic, Woodson entered high school, where he completed a four-year curriculum in two years. He went on to receive his Masters degree in history from the University of Chicago, and he eventually earned a PhD from Harvard.

Disturbed that history textbooks largely ignored America’s black population, Woodson took on the challenge of writing black Americans into the nation’s history. To do this, Woodson established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. He also founded the group’s widely respected publication, the Journal of Negro History. In 1926, he developed Negro History Week. Woodson believed that “the achievements of the Negro properly set forth will crown him as a factor in early human progress and a maker of modern civilization.”

In 1976, Negro History Week expanded into Black History Month. The month is also sometimes referred to as African American Heritage Month.

Woodson chose the second week of February for the celebration because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population: Frederick Douglass (February 14), an escaped slave who became one of the foremost black abolitionists and civil rights leaders in the nation, and President Abraham Lincoln (February 12), who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which abolished slavery in America’s confederate states.

Because of his work, Dr. Woodson has been called the “Father of Black History.”

Source:  http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/01/30/extra.black.history.month/index.html

                                                      

  Frederick Douglass                     Jack Johnson                         Ella Fitzgerald                 Mary M. Bethune