2008 Woodie Awards
Recognize black history throughout the year
DI Editorial Board
Issue date: 2/1/07 Section: Opinions
During the next 28 days, Black History Month will be marked by a shift in the curricula of classrooms across the country. Out will come the banners touting Maya Angelou and Alice Walker. For 28 days, middle-school students will open their textbooks to the select pages mentioning the civil-rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr., and Harriet Tubman. For one month, issues specifically relating to black Americans come to the fore of the collective American conscience. But only until March 1. Then, these important figures and events that did so much to mold modern American society will be folded up and tucked away until next year. It is unfortunate that only through the designation of a month to commemorate their achievements do we take time to honor blacks.
Many Americans want to be able wash their hands of the dark periods of our history associated with the black experience. Packaging the moments we are less than proud of in such a manner seems to absolve us of the guilt associated with them. Studying these events and people without acknowledging the real effect they had on the course of this nation's history and failing to study this important part of American history within the context of the actual course of history has the unfortunate effect of narrowing our views of "black" history to slavery and its legacy throughout and after the civil-rights movement.
Looking at the Harlem Renaissance and the Million Man March as events belonging to some discrete history apart from the general course of American history marginalizes these important events. Relegating these to the sidebars of American history textbooks and taking them out of the context of the general course of American history are distressing. To celebrate a "black" history is to imply that there is "white" history of this country, each running parallel to, but never crossing paths with, the other.
Black history does need to be commemorated and honored, but as a part of the larger stream of American history. The contributions and struggles of important black Americans can only be recognized by studying the effect they have had on our entire society, not just on black society. Black history is a part of American history; the experience of blacks in this country is continually influencing our nation's society, and that should be thoroughly recognized.
Many Americans want to be able wash their hands of the dark periods of our history associated with the black experience. Packaging the moments we are less than proud of in such a manner seems to absolve us of the guilt associated with them. Studying these events and people without acknowledging the real effect they had on the course of this nation's history and failing to study this important part of American history within the context of the actual course of history has the unfortunate effect of narrowing our views of "black" history to slavery and its legacy throughout and after the civil-rights movement.
Looking at the Harlem Renaissance and the Million Man March as events belonging to some discrete history apart from the general course of American history marginalizes these important events. Relegating these to the sidebars of American history textbooks and taking them out of the context of the general course of American history are distressing. To celebrate a "black" history is to imply that there is "white" history of this country, each running parallel to, but never crossing paths with, the other.
Black history does need to be commemorated and honored, but as a part of the larger stream of American history. The contributions and struggles of important black Americans can only be recognized by studying the effect they have had on our entire society, not just on black society. Black history is a part of American history; the experience of blacks in this country is continually influencing our nation's society, and that should be thoroughly recognized.
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