“Do we still need Black History Month?” is a question that comes up every year around this time. Just go ahead and mark it in your calendar. It’s gonna come up. Here is some history behind the origins of Black history month.
The origins of Black History Month lay in early 20th-century historian Carter G. Woodson’s desire to spotlight the accomplishments of African Americans. Mainstream historians left out African Americans from the narrative of American history up until the 1960s, and Woodson worked his entire career to correct this blinding oversight. His creation of Negro History Week in 1926 paved the way for the establishment of Black History Month in 1976.
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“Woodson hoped that Negro History Week would encourage better relations between blacks and whites in the United States as well as inspire young African Americans to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of their ancestors. In The Mis-Education of the Negro (1933), Woodson lamented, “Of the hundreds of Negro high schools recently examined by an expert in the United States Bureau of Education only eighteen offer a course taking up the history of the Negro, and in most of the Negro colleges and universities where the Negro is thought of, the race is studied only as a problem or dismissed as of little consequence.” Thanks to Negro History Week, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History began to receive requests for more accessible articles; in 1937 the organization began publishing the Negro History Bulletin aimed at African-American teachers who wanted to incorporate black history into their lessons.”
I see no problem in setting aside some time to acknowledge the history and accomplishments of any racial group. I see it as a great gesture by this country to acknowledge the contributions of various groups. To me that is a good thing.
What troubles me is how MLK Blvd. in just about any city in the USA is the most crime ridden. Schools named by the same man oftentimes have the lowest scores in the district. Same goes for schools and roads named after other towering figures in Black history. To know your history is one thing. To adopt the character of these great individuals is something that takes more than a month.
Carter G. Woodson was right in his drive to create a time of reflection of Black history. But the knowledge of history alone does not improve a person’s character. That is a totally separate endeavor that should be treated as such.
The recent release of the movie “Red Tails” produced personal stories on Facebook that talked about how little Black kids were wide-eyed and inspired while watching this amazing piece of Black history. But what good is it if the same kids walk away from the movie, get into the car, plug in their iPods and absorb the music of “new” Black icons that constantly celebrate sex, alcohol, and gettin’ paid?
So the question should never be “Do we still need Black History Month?” Instead, we need to stop expecting that simply the knowledge of history is enough. Let’s continue to celebrate the month. But character is a lesson that never ends.
Stop Asking The Same Dang Question Every Year
by Duane on February 15th, 2012 at 7:45 am“Do we still need Black History Month?” is a question that comes up every year around this time. Just go ahead and mark it in your calendar. It’s gonna come up. Here is some history behind the origins of Black history month.
The origins of Black History Month lay in early 20th-century historian Carter G. Woodson’s desire to spotlight the accomplishments of African Americans. Mainstream historians left out African Americans from the narrative of American history up until the 1960s, and Woodson worked his entire career to correct this blinding oversight. His creation of Negro History Week in 1926 paved the way for the establishment of Black History Month in 1976.
[...]
“Woodson hoped that Negro History Week would encourage better relations between blacks and whites in the United States as well as inspire young African Americans to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of their ancestors. In The Mis-Education of the Negro (1933), Woodson lamented, “Of the hundreds of Negro high schools recently examined by an expert in the United States Bureau of Education only eighteen offer a course taking up the history of the Negro, and in most of the Negro colleges and universities where the Negro is thought of, the race is studied only as a problem or dismissed as of little consequence.” Thanks to Negro History Week, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History began to receive requests for more accessible articles; in 1937 the organization began publishing the Negro History Bulletin aimed at African-American teachers who wanted to incorporate black history into their lessons.”
I see no problem in setting aside some time to acknowledge the history and accomplishments of any racial group. I see it as a great gesture by this country to acknowledge the contributions of various groups. To me that is a good thing.
What troubles me is how MLK Blvd. in just about any city in the USA is the most crime ridden. Schools named by the same man oftentimes have the lowest scores in the district. Same goes for schools and roads named after other towering figures in Black history. To know your history is one thing. To adopt the character of these great individuals is something that takes more than a month.
Carter G. Woodson was right in his drive to create a time of reflection of Black history. But the knowledge of history alone does not improve a person’s character. That is a totally separate endeavor that should be treated as such.
The recent release of the movie “Red Tails” produced personal stories on Facebook that talked about how little Black kids were wide-eyed and inspired while watching this amazing piece of Black history. But what good is it if the same kids walk away from the movie, get into the car, plug in their iPods and absorb the music of “new” Black icons that constantly celebrate sex, alcohol, and gettin’ paid?
So the question should never be “Do we still need Black History Month?” Instead, we need to stop expecting that simply the knowledge of history is enough. Let’s continue to celebrate the month. But character is a lesson that never ends.