By Sorilbran Stone
So how are those Black History Month projects coming along for the kids?
There may not be much talk about it in the schools anymore, but February is still Black History Month. If you happened to attend an inner city school and come of age in the 70s and 80s, you may remember working on Black History projects. These days, you would be hard-pressed to find a kid carting red, black or green poster board to school at all this month. In what some would call a “post-racial” America, is there still a need to celebrate Black History Month?
Post-racial or not, America’s social and political heritage are hot-button topics, especially where the matter of race is concerned. The social nuances of race headline whenever and wherever they are present. Take this year’s Oscar awards. Quentin Tarrantino’s pre-Civil War era, western-themed movie Django Unchained chronicles the relentless pursuit of a savvy freed slave-turned-bounty hunter (played by Jamie Foxx) as he attempts to rescue his wife (Kerry Washington) from a brutal slave owner (Leonardo Di Caprio). The film has garnered 5 Academy Award nominations. Hollywood is also buzzing about Steven Spielberg’s movie, Lincoln which is a cinematic interpretation of the historical events surrounding the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation and the drafting of the Thirteenth Amendment. The movie, which was released just a few weeks prior to the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, has 48 industry awards already and is nominated for 12 Academy Awards.
When historian Carter G. Woodson created “Negro History Week” in the mid-1920s, it was intended to serve as a precursor to the widespread incorporation of African American history as part of American history. Today, the entire month of February is designated as Black History Month and it is arguable whether American history now presents a more accurate and deliberate presentation of the contributions African Americans have made in the tale of America.
If American history is still found lacking in its presentation, what then is the remedy for this oversight – more Black History Month celebrations? Has Black History Month run its course?
The question of whether Black History Month is outdated offers two main arguments. Those who are against taking a month to celebrate black history point out that there is no productive reason to distinguish African American history from American history. In his 2012 documentary, More than a Month, Shukree Tilghman opened a dialogue in cities across America to find out how people view Black History Month. For Tilghman, black history is American history. Actor Morgan Freeman and music artist Talib Kweli have gone on record against relegating our history and contribution to one month out of the year.
On the flip side, supporters insist that Black History Month is absolutely necessary to honor the profound legacy of African Americans. There still isn’t a strong African American presence in most American history books. Even within institutions of higher learning the African American experience goes untold unless a student specifically elects to take an African American history course. Black History Month is still our nationally-recognized time to pay homage – even when it’s in the form of polite applause – for the contributions and hard-won achievements of African Americans in this country.
Surely, there is more to our legacy than just rehearsing random facts and remembering a handful of inventions. We can honor the game-changing contributions African Americans have made to this country and to the world by celebrating what we’ve constructed thus far, both collectively and individually.
(Black History Month Image credit: Shutterstock)
