Black History Month: Is it still necessary?

This is the first time I heard there was a black history month. I thought that the only recognized day was Martin Luther Kings Birthday. How about a Black History year?

Rev. Jermano

Morgan Freeman is a man I respect and of course he has insight into this matter, as well as a relevant opinion. Just watching that clip makes me smile. He has a way of broaching a difficult subject in a way that is not offensive. He gets to the heart of the matter with humor and personal, relevant examples.

Hi, djermano! Good to 'see' you around, and thanks for reading this story and commenting!

I am quite surprised to learn that you are not aware of Black History Month. How about, "an America where learning about blacks, Hispanics, and Asians is part of school curriculums. It is this formula of American history, proposes Riley, that should be taught every day." :)

Good Post and I agree with Morgan Freeman a 100%.

I believe Black History Month is important because there may be those who are still opposed to the world knowing the true history of black people in America.  It would take a very lengthy post for me to tell you the opposition I encountered. in writing about the fact that Martin Luther King's final speech has been edited in 18 of the 20 online text versions I found.  The editing occurred in one of the two most often quoted sections of the speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop" to edit out his references to "illegal injunctions" by the government and "dogs and water hoses."  Someone actually ordered my Google blog closed where I exposed this censorship, but I got it back open.  I wrote about also in a NowPublic article.

There are two points Mr. Freeman makes with which I agree re: Black History Month, why condense the telling of our histories to one month and that our history is American history.

Racism and prejudice won't disappear because no one says anything or mentions racial differences or disparities in America and the world.

It seems that many in White society in America believed, because Black people found ways to function within the structures imposed upon them for hundreds of years, that all was well; there was no prejudice. Separate but equal meant just that, all was equal and all was well, which was never the reality.

However, as I have discussed in my Black History Month piece, as much of the history of Black people has been selective and passed out in piece meal fashion, it may not be the need for Black History Month to end but, the approach to the subject matter provided.

I have some misgivings about the thought of doing away with Black History Month. Although I do understand the point that Mr. Freeman makes that black history is American history, I think there are non-black children (and adults) all over America and Canada that need to be made aware of what an integral part black Americans (and in Canada, Canadians) have had in shaping the identity of the nation. It is remarkable at how few steps one has to make before realizing how insulated and ignorant "white" America (Canada) can be. It should be a normal understood part of the whole history of America. But, until that time when a colour no longer gives designation to who one represents ie: black man, white man, etc, we need all the possible opportunities to directly educate and uplift the masses.

I look at my kids in elementary school and high school and I only hear names of children, whether they are nice or not nice, ...... but black, white, brown, chinese, Jewish, Hindu or Muslim is never the moniker added before the name. They are just people, seems we grow into stupid labels to define the difference between "me" and "you",  "us" and "them" ......... sad.

up yours rochelle riley!

Why isn't history of Africa and it's many countries included with Black History? There's huge dearth there.

I think it's still necessary if only for the fact that it is the month it is really studied in schools, otherwise it could get overlooked.

Love Morgan Freeman's attitude.

Carl Jung explained that when young black children listened to the American Thanksgiving story, for example, they identified with the participants, even though they were not represented as such in the story, the story being about Europeans coming to America.

When white and yellow and Hispanic kids identify with the story of slavery, for example, by identifying with the experience of Alex Haley's family line in the "Roots" TV series, then the circle is completed, if they do identify. Children will identify.

As we come to identify with each others' histories regardless of race, a complete American identity will have been formed.

As far as learning to identify with someone else's experience, I remember how many questions got answered for me when I read The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I remember telling my father that no matter how tough it was for him as one of two sons of a single mother who had had to divorce her husband because of physical abuse during the Depression, Malcolm X's life was ten times more difficult.

Malcolm X transcended himself twice.

The first time was in becoming a Black Muslim and giving up all of the traits that he saw in himself as inferior: the hustling, lack of education, sexual promiscuity. He reformed himself, as Jung would say, by finding a new center for him self outside of his conscious mind. That happened when he has a transformative experience about Elijah Mohammed and his teachings, a kind of vision.

In prison, he copied out the whole dictionary, studied the Koran, and got an education. Once out, he subjected himself to further intense discipline, found a legal way to make a living, got married, was faithful and become the most inspirational speaker and leader of the Black Muslim movement.

Later, he turned against his own leader, Elijah Mohammed, because of EM's involvement sexually with a number of secretaries, and then, in Mecca, Malcolm X realized that his take on Islam was racist. There was no inherent inferiority to white men, and he dropped it as part of his beliefs.

Four black gunmen assassinated Malcolm X in Harlem some time later.

Elijah Mohammed's son founded another Muslim group that was closer to traditional Islam as well, parting with his father. The father's group went on to be under Farrakhan.

Malcolm X's daughter believed that Farrakhan was involved in the assassination and tried to have him killed. Farrakhan has publically said that he had no involvement but that his own attitude might have contributed to the atmosphere that set up the conspiracy to kill Malcolm X.

My wife is African-American (with Asian and American Indian ancestry) and we have been married for 22 years. This has provided a lot more perspective on the relationship between the races.

My wife is a professional dancer, classical ballet and jazz, and Dunham technique. She danced in films such as "The Blues Brothers", and "Staying Alive", and on hundreds of TV shows, worked with Lena Horne in Las Vegas, and Italian TV as well. I got to see to what degree discrimination still existed, as well as get to know how intensely show business is, and how ruthless and irrational. There is both class and race discrimination in Hollywood and I should throw in sex as well.

I often think Richard Gere and the other stars ought to try and clean up Hollywood first and then go onto saving the world.

We lived in Italy and Italians were often surprised when we had to tell them that she had more racist experiences in three years in Rome than in the previous decade in LA.

Many people are entirely unconscious of the racism in their group because their group is largely homogenous. Northern Italians, though, in the '50s used to deny hotel rooms to Southern Italians routinely in some areas.

That attitude is the basis of racism, whether another race is involved or not.

True indeed. Barack Obama is president. One of the greatest accomplishments in history, for America. Again, true. Considering that once upon a time, African- Americans were denied the RIGHT to vote, understand the impact this has on African- Americans, moreso than any other race.  In order to understand where we (all races) are in this present day, we must know where we came from... history. True indeed Black history is inclusive in American history. It IS taught in schools, BUT HOW MUCH and to what extent? Although it should be done year round, it is within Black History Month that great emphasis is placed, not just on what IS taught in schools but also on what IS NOT taught in schools. It would be because of things such as Black History Month, that those who were (and to many are still) considered minorities become Barack Obama's. Abolish Black History Month for what? Who is it hurting?

Loved that film clip.

From Malcolm X's letter:

“Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and the overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this Ancient Holy Land…..”, so began the letter written by El-Hajj Malik El-Shabbaz, formerly Malcolm X, on his Hajj trip in 1964. He continued, “…There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the non-white. America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem…”

Thanks for posting this Rhonda. This is the first time I heard there was such a "month". The added info really blew me. I agree with Mr. Morgan  Freeman.

To everyone who took the time to read, comment, provide links, and/or recommended this story, thank you!

I believe that blach history month should never be taken away. just because we have a black president doesnt mean that black history is going to stop at this moment, it will keep going and things will have to be documented to show the later generations that alot has been accomplished................. and fuck any body who thinks other wise.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!