Black History Month - Why?

KevR · 02-01-2010, 09:56

I wonder why, in today's world, we still need a Black History Month. Considering we are trying to get everyone to consider everyone else equal and remind us that we are all Americans, it seems to me that we're creating a dividing line with a month specifically designated to remember and honor black Americans. It's all American history not specifically black history, so I don't get it. IMO, it separates instead of uniting so I don't get it. I think if anyone was going to do anything about getting rid of it, little O would be a rational choice and something I could actually get behind him on, but I doubt that will ever happen.

This is a touchy subject, so please keep it civil.

6F0 Nick · 02-01-2010, 09:57

Ibtl!!!

KevR · 02-01-2010, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6F0 Nick

Ibtl!!!

You're probably right, but I thought we might try to have a civil discussion about it.

trifecta · 02-01-2010, 09:59

Why not Hispanic History Month?

trifecta · 02-01-2010, 09:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevR

You're probably right, but I thought we might try to have a civil discussion about it.

Good luck my friend. It could happen.

deadday · 02-01-2010, 09:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevR

You're probably right, but I thought we might try to have a civil discussion about it.

pack-indy · 02-01-2010, 10:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6F0 Nick

Ibtl!!!

This.

nmk · 02-01-2010, 10:02

I think this could be a worthwhile discussion. Isn't that what the new president wants - openness and discussion? Shame on you, IBTLers. Sometimes you guys doom threads before they have a chance.

DaveCharlie09 · 02-01-2010, 10:03

Is there a White History Month???

88_gurgel · 02-01-2010, 10:03

I agree, If one wants to dedicate something to a certain race, it shouldn't be allowed in todays society. It absolutely pits race against race. While in the past there were certainly some problems between the races and people took advantage, this doesn't occur now like it did. One race doesn't owe another race anything now. I say the same for race based colleges where other races cannot get in, I also say it for equal opportunity as well. Let someone be rewarded for what they can do, not because of their color.

deadday · 02-01-2010, 10:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveCharlie09

Is there a White History Month???

Nope. Nor is there a Mongoloid History month.

Andy123 · 02-01-2010, 10:06

Short answer - Because the other 11 are white history month.

There was a time in this country when classical greek and roman history and later renesiannce history were taught to the near exclusion of all else. I think that Black history was a needed attempt to counter than. Unfortunately, I now believe the pendalum has swung to far in the other direction.

perkins3120 · 02-01-2010, 10:06

yeah if there is a black history month there should be one for every race or none at all at most colleges they have black only groups like clubs but i bet the college would throw a fit if a someone wnted to start a white only group

pjrocco · 02-01-2010, 10:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy123

Short answer - Because the other 11 are white history month.

There was a time in this country when classical Greek and roman history and later renaissance history were taught to the near exclusion of all else. I think that Black history was a needed attempt to counter than. Unfortunately, I now believe the pendulum has swung to far in the other direction.

I concur...

COBO19 · 02-01-2010, 10:10

jtmac · 02-01-2010, 10:12

The history of racism against black people in this country is not ancient history. It is very fresh. The nation's mindset really is still "white Western folk" oriented.

There are a lot of attempts to "fix" things that do nothing to help. I'm sure I don't have to point those out. But I can't see anything wrong with naming a time to remember. Black children have far too few positive historical role models that show up anywhere outside of February in public school classrooms, and white children often have little to no perspective about the way things were for their respective races even just a generation ago. I know that none of my history books had any black people in it except for the slim section we flipped to in February.

As long as it's handled appropriately, I can't see a problem with it at all. One day, we should be able to move past it. We aren't there yet.

Mushinto · 02-01-2010, 10:13

(roughly) 10 % of the population deserves (roughly) 10 % of the holidays and the months.

I think the question is why does it bother you?

Each month has multiple designations, National Tulip Month, National Gas Awareness Month, etc. Black History Month just happens to get a lot of press and advertising space.

ML

gjk5 · 02-01-2010, 10:14

Black history is American history, it's just PC bunk to do a Black History Month.

RichJ · 02-01-2010, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy123

Short answer - Because the other 11 are white history month.

There was a time in this country when classical greek and roman history and later renesiannce history were taught to the near exclusion of all else. I think that Black history was a needed attempt to counter than. Unfortunately, I now believe the pendalum has swung to far in the other direction.

That's because in order to have a history of something to teach, you must first have a culture that records their history in writing for someone to read latter on.

We know a great deal about Egyptian history and Roman history because there is a ton of information writen by both Egyptians and Romans. How many historical manuscripts from Africa outside of Egypt are there? It may be a sad truth, but their history pretty much begins with whitey writing down events of the slave trade. Everything else is just infered through archeology and even then, there are huge gaps between pre-historic man and the emergence of Europeans. You can't teach what is not known.

You could say the same thing about the history of the American Indian.