Time to end Black History Month?

[Rachmaninoff]

First of all, I'll give you guys the link to the article that got me thinking about this.

[URL="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29057064/"][U]Time to end Black History Month?[/U][/URL]

And now we can move to the discussion. =P In all honesty I haven't really heard this argument before ([SIZE="1"]probably because I just don't pay attention >_>[/SIZE]), that it would be better to make history more comprehensive. I'm not sure how that works since I don't recall my teachers skipping certain aspects of history, they were just taught, usually, in order based on dates.

Some of the arguments that it's not necessary are ones that I can relate to. Having that month, as it were, hasn't made me any more aware of that aspect of history. I got that from just the normal American history classes that I was required to take. So if we are already teaching history, it does seem like overkill.

Either way, I have no strong inclination to feel like it should be dropped. But I do find the discussion interesting. Would keeping it make people any more aware or would dropping it and focusing on simply teaching history, all of it, be better?

[Raiha]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]It's extremely hard for me to care about the color of someone's skin as if that somehow makes their contributions to science, politics, etc. more valid than people who have a differently colored skin, orientation, religion. It's the same thing with schools in California putting a special emphasis on the wonders of homosexual people in history.

Pointless, divisive and serves no other purpose but to further fracture the lines between black, brown, yellow, white, etc. Celebrate Harriet Tubman because she saved people from slavery, not because she was black. In the same way, we can celebrate the General Robert E. Lee because he released his slaves from his property months before his fellow general on the other side [the 'right' side] did the same thing. All Black History month accomplishes now is to make the more radical groups within the party sound like children jumping up and down trying to make it to the head of the class screaming: "NOTICE MEEEEE!"[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Vicky]

[size=1]Of course I agree with ending it. I'm not American so I barely even hear about this but I'm still a firm believer that we're all from the same species and we all share the same history and no one's is more important. I think having a Black History Month sets another rift.

I'm also raising my eyebrow about the 'Obama's victory means we don't need Black History Month anymore'. What? I'm not sure I understand. That sets another rift that there was only this change because a black man became president.

It's quite hard to explain what I mean. I don't even like using the term 'black'....[/size]

[Nathan]

[FONT="Arial"]I can kind of understand the sentiment behind it and yet at the same time:[quote name='Raiha][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]All Black History month accomplishes now is to make the more radical groups within the party sound like children jumping up and down trying to make it to the head of the class screaming: "NOTICE MEEEEE!"[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote]That's what I see. Not that history isn't important, but it's time to get over the idea that we have to set aside a special time to remember certain parts of it.

There are a lot of moments in history that could fall under this category and making it comprehensive in the fact that you do your best to cover [I]all[/I] of it in class, is really more appropriate in my opinion. [/FONT]

[Dooane]

[quote name='Rachmaninoff'] Would keeping it make people any more aware or would dropping it and focusing on simply teaching history, all of it, be better?[/QUOTE]

well to me they shouldn't drop it. and what for? people of all races today are becoming more and more aware and its about time:animesmil we have a new head chief and you know thats going to be black history. as you can tell im black woot woot lol. and i cant see America dropping this

[Nerdsy]

[quote name='Dooane']people of all races today are becoming more and more aware and its about time:animesmil[/quote]

[color=deeppink]Aware of what? And how does having a month dedicated to black history help that more than, say, a month dedicated to history in general? [/color]

[quote]as you can tell im black woot woot lol. [/quote]

[color=deeppink]I would never of known had you not mentioned it.[/color]

[Vicky]

[quote name='Dooane']well to me they shouldn't drop it. and what for? people of all races today are becoming more and more aware and its about time:animesmil we have a new head chief and you know thats going to be black history. as you can tell im black woot woot lol. and i cant see America dropping this[/QUOTE]


[size=1]I didn't become aware of it through this History Month. In fact, I didn't even know it existed (the month I mean). How did I learn about black history? I learnt about it in school, along with both world wars, American histroy and a lot Anglo-Saxon history.

I think having this history month separates blacks again by saying it's a more important history. I'm sure there would be major problems if there was a 'white history' month.[/size]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

[quote name='Dooane']well to me they shouldn't drop it. and what for? people of all races today are becoming more and more aware and its about time:animesmil we have a new head chief and you know thats going to be black history. as you can tell im black woot woot lol. and i cant see America dropping this[/quote]I think a better question to ask is why have it to begin with? The whole point in looking to do away with the concept is that it's not so much black history as you put it, it's [I]American[/I] history. Trying to turn it into black history is just continuing the [I]look at me[/I] mentality that Raiha speaks of.

Anyway, though I can see why they felt it was necessary, at the same time it does give the air that one aspect of history should be more important than another. I really don't agree with that when you consider how many things in history could be considered in this light.

In my opinion, if a teacher is doing their job of teaching all of it, there shouldn't be a need to make a month to focus on just one aspect of it.

[Ezekiel]

[SIZE="1"]Why was this even a 'month' in the first place? As Raiha said, it's only going to accomplish a further rift and make those extremists who will no doubt get involved make such a drama out of everything.

I love history. Always have an always will, but it isn't something you can package up and talk about in separate parts. The point of history is cause an effect, changing policies, changing attitudes. Not focusing on one race and what they've achieved, and ignoring the events leading up to it and what resulted from it, if they happen to NOT involve the race directly.

As the article said, it should be celebrated every day of the year, and taught within lessons alongside other events from that time period. I'm almost certain that just one month isn't enough to cover all that's happened in African-American history, anyway. Seems like a bit of a cheap deal, to me.[/SIZE]

[Magus]

Wow, it's been a long time since I've read or dealt with anything involving Black History month. (They drove me crazy with it back in elementary... Teaching the same thing over and over. Doing the same research over and over.) Yes, I'm black, and while I do acknowledge everything that African Americans has been through, or done... or something, I do think we've gotten to the point to where Black History month can be dropped, or at the very least, shortened a bit.

I mean, everyone's getting along as far as I've seen. Sure there's problems here and there, but I think people has matured enough.... Maybe I'm giving too much benefit of the doubt. :)

"shrugs" [size=1]disappears[/size]

Edit: [size=1]Ya'll some fast people[/size]... Ezekiel (I'm not too fond of history though XD) and Aaryanna_Mom said it better.

[Rachmaninoff]

[quote name='Magus'] I do think we've gotten to the point to where Black History month can be dropped, or at the very least, shortened a bit.[/quote]Considering what most people have said, if they don't drop it, shortening it would definitely be a step in the right direction.

[Allamorph]

[FONT=Arial]I tend to view Black History Month about the same as I view National Novel Writing Month, National Pancake Day, and National Hug An Engineer Day.

Us people get bored unless there's something to celebrate, amirite?[/FONT]

[Rachmaninoff]

[QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial]I tend to view Black History Month about the same as I view National Novel Writing Month, National Pancake Day, and National Hug An Engineer Day.

Us people get bored unless there's something to celebrate, amirite?[/FONT][/QUOTE]Well that does it. Now we have to keep it to avoid getting bored. =P

[eleanor]

[font=trebuchet ms]
It's a not a big deal. It's a month set aside to honor and commemorate the achievements of a minority group that has had the greatest impact on US history. It's not saying trying to say "black history is better than white history".

Also I will smack anyone who asks why there isn't a white history month. Get over it.[/font]

[Raiha]

[quote name='Lunox'][font=trebuchet ms]
It's a not a big deal. It's a month set aside to honor and commemorate the achievements of a minority group that has had the greatest impact on US history. It's not saying trying to say "black history is better than white history".

Also I will smack anyone who asks why there isn't a white history month. Get over it.[/font][/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Why shouldn't there be? The achievements of white people are just as important. Madame Curie, Albert Einstein, The inventor of the Model T Ford? Black history IS better than white history if we're oozing all over a special group as if they're more exciting than the rest of the old dead white guys.

But if we have black history month, why not have Asian History month? Indian History Month? I'd like to spend time revisiting all the glorious things Chinese civilization brought to the world. Gunpowder, Earthquake Detectors, writing, noodles.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Korey]

[FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][COLOR="Indigo"]While I'm totally for Equal Rights for all Americans, I see the reasons behind having Black History Month. It's the same thread as having National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It's to not forget the struggles that humans have endured for so long. I'm sure when Gay people are allowed to have free marriage rights, then we will find a month to place them in.

While I do agree that having Black History Month does kind of bring a "HEY LOOK AT ME" sort of sentiment, I don't necessarily think that it's a bad sentiment to want to be noticed and celebrated after, oh I don't know, about two centuries worth of struggling to get the same rights as everyone else. The way I see some of this argumentation going is like saying "Look, Mr. Muslim. Why does Ramadan have to be so long? We get the point." [/COLOR][/FONT]

[chibi-master]

Ah, I never really payed any mind to the celebration. Truth be told, I never even notice until the creepy music teacher puts up a bunch of posters around the school. And even then I just go, "Oh, yeah! It's Black History Month! ...Dang, I'm sleepy.".

[The Spectacular Professor]

[quote name='Magus']I do think we've gotten to the point to where Black History month can be dropped, or at the very least, [B]shortened a bit.[/B][/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]It's already held in February. :whoops:

Anyway, I really don't care much either way. It's kind of just one of those holidays that's always there, but no one really cares. As far as I'm concerned, it's already defunct. The only way it's celebrated is through those obligatory school assemblies, anyway. Scrap it if you want, I doubt anyone would notice.[/FONT]

[eleanor]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Why shouldn't there be? The achievements of white people are just as important. Madame Curie, Albert Einstein, The inventor of the Model T Ford? Black history IS better than white history if we're oozing all over a special group as if they're more exciting than the rest of the old dead white guys.

But if we have black history month, why not have Asian History month? Indian History Month? I'd like to spend time revisiting all the glorious things Chinese civilization brought to the world. Gunpowder, Earthquake Detectors, writing, noodles.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[font=trebuchet ms] Because we're still iffy on the whole "white people enslaved blacks and then denied them basic rights for a really long time" thing. Whether or not you think that's dumb, it's still a very sensitive topic. Btw, no one actually thinks black history month is better than white history. Also, looking at US history in terms of black history and white history is racist in itself. It's a combination of both, and since in general US history classes we spend a majority of the time studying what WASPs did, I don't mind having a month set aside to point out a lot of things black people contributed.

We don't have Asian History month in the US because the impact Asians have had on US history and culture is almost insignificant when compared to the impact black people have had. Same with Native Americans. I realize we treated them terribly and we ****** them over, but their culture and achievements did not have a huge impact on what the US is today. Just to clarify, I'm not trying to say other minority groups didn't contribute to what the US is today, just that none of them contributed nearly as much as blacks did. And to my knowledge black history month isn't really acknowledged outside of the US (correct me if I'm wrong).

If we're going to argue about racism in the presentation of history, we should argue about how Ancient Greek and other western civilizations are generally championed as the most advanced when Asian countries were pretty much ahead of the game centuries before Greek and Rome. Or how in literature we read the works of Greek playwrights and philosophers but generally ignore the works of Asian writers. Not about whether black history month makes "black history" better than "white history". lol

I pretty much don't even "celebrate" black history month. I don't care that it exists. But I don't think it's a bad thing.[/font]

[Dooane]

[quote name='Lunox'][font=trebuchet ms]
It's a not a big deal. It's a month set aside to honor and commemorate the achievements of a minority group that has had the greatest impact on US history. It's not saying trying to say "black history is better than white history".

Also I will smack anyone who asks why there isn't a white history month. Get over it.[/font][/QUOTE]

Lol yeah how about someone ask me that today in my class

...smh....

[Retribution]

[font=Arial]I support Black History Month.

The existence of BHM is not a "we're better than you" statement. Rather, it is a federal acknowledgment of the legacy of blacks that has been historically neglected, overlooked, or shelved in favor of more Eurocentric history.

When BHM was created, blacks were taught (in public schools) they had no significant contributions to history or world progress. All history that was taught was simply white history. This had a profoundly degrading impact on the black psyche -- it was demoralizing to hear they were essentially a worthless, inferior race that had achieved nothing.

Therefore in an attempt to subvert this academic (and social) racism, BHM was created. It was essentially a time of year that acknowledged the frequently overlooked struggles of blacks, as well as the enormous contributions they have made to American society. In an attempt to reverse a heavily biased curriculum that, generally speaking, only focused on white achievement, BHM was instated.

Unfortunately, public school curricula still frequently overlook black achievement and history. Blacks still have only a vague idea of what their forefathers accomplished, suffered through, and contributed to this nation. So as a counter to these tragic circumstances, I still support the existence of Black History Month.[/font]

[Shy]

[SIZE=1]I don't see what the big hurry is. February is usually only 28 days. It will end soon enough.

-Shy[/size]

[Rachmaninoff]

[quote name='Retribution][font=Arial']Unfortunately, public school curricula still frequently overlook black achievement and history. Blacks still have only a vague idea of what their forefathers accomplished, suffered through, and contributed to this nation. So as a counter to these tragic circumstances, I still support the existence of Black History Month.[/font][/quote]Care to back that with something? I'm just curious about that. In the end, if people are unaware, that seems more like a failure on the schools or teachers than anything else. If someone isn't coving that kind of history, or rather all of it. It seems that replacing them with someone who will is a better solution. I mean we never really focused on the Black History deal and yet it was still covered, just like the rest of it.

[Retribution]

[quote name='Rachmaninoff']Care to back that with something? I'm just curious about that. In the end, if people are unaware, that seems more like a failure on the schools or teachers than anything else. If someone isn't coving that kind of history, or rather all of it. It seems that replacing them with someone who will is a better solution. I mean we never really focused on the Black History deal and yet it was still covered, just like the rest of it.[/QUOTE]
[font=Arial]Tell me something about Songhai you learned in school. Now tell me something you learned about ancient Rome.

Tell me something about Mali you learned in school. Now tell me something you learned about ancient Greece.

This is just a cursory example of what schools neglect to teach. I'm actually a bit surprised you don't readily acknowledge the academic bias that exists for pro-West history and the strange disappearance of most other histories. I bet you can label a map of western Europe correctly, but not of sub-Saharan or west Africa. It's no poor reflection on [i]you[/i], but on the systemic problem that exists in schools and America at large.

It's a problem that transcends individual teachers, because this problem is nationwide. It's not a few select racist teachers or anything. It's not a few mean people. It's just everyone doesn't bother with African history for whatever reason. So to suggest we "replace them with someone else" is a suggestion that misses the enormity of the problem. Rather, we have to change the academic curricula that exist in schools across the nation.

Since none of that is happening, or will happen in the foreseeable future, I support Black History Month.[/font]

[Magus]

[quote name='Retribution'][font=Arial]This is just a cursory example of what schools neglect to teach. I'm actually a bit surprised you don't readily acknowledge the academic bias that exists for pro-West history and the strange disappearance of most other histories. I bet you can label a map of western Europe correctly, but not of sub-Saharan or west Africa. It's no poor reflection on [i]you[/i], but on the systemic problem that exists in schools and America at large.[/font][/QUOTE]
This is so true. And as I've stated, it's the main reason why I grow tired of black history month. The same things are being taught each year. Atleast this was how it was back when I was in high school... (I don't know what the kiddies are being taught nowdays) And it was basically the same things I've already learned back in elementary school. Only difference was I had to do an essay.

I'd probably be more supportive of Black History month if teachers actually taught something about Africa or something else besides Martin Luther King Jr, Fredrick Douglas, George Washington, etc... (Great people, and I respect and acknowledge all they did).