Jesse Washington, AP, February 6, 2009
Many have long argued that African-American history should be incorporated into year-round education. Now, claims that Black History Month is outdated are gaining a new potency, as schools diversify their curricula and President Barack Obama’s election opens a new chapter in the nation’s racial journey.
“If Obama’s election means anything, it means that African-American history IS American history and should be remembered and recognized every day of the year,” says Stephen Donovan, a 41-year-old lawyer.
Ending “paternalistic” observances like Black History Month, Donovan believes, would lead to “not only a reduction in racism, but whites more ready and willing and able to celebrate our difference, enjoy our traditions, without feeling the stain of guilt that stifles frank dialogue and acceptance across cultures.”
Yemesi Oyeniyi, a 40-year-old stay-at-home mother, says that Black History Month feels like it’s only for blacks, “and therefore fails to educate the masses of non-blacks.”
“I mean, now there is a Hispanic History Month and quite honestly I haven’t paid more attention to the history of Spanish-speaking Americans any more now than I have in the past,” she says. “I think it all should be taught collectively—every month.”
{snip}
Obama released an official proclamation on Feb. 2 lauding “National African American History Month” and calling upon “public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs that raise awareness and appreciation of African American history.”
Daryl Scott, chairman of the history department at Howard University and vice president of programming for ASALH, says Black History Month is still needed to solidify and build upon America’s racial gains.
“To know about the people who make up society is to make a better society,” he says. “A multiracial, multiethnic society has to work at its relationships, just like you have to work at your marriage.”
{snip}
A common history
Steve O’Rourke, who has a kindergartner at Warren Elementary, says his son wants to ask Maathai, “You and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. both went to jail for doing the right thing. What did it feel like to be in jail?”
“Whenever we denote something as belonging in a certain month, it becomes tempting to say it belongs in that month alone,” says O’Rourke. “Ideally I would like us to have a common rather than compartmentalized history.”
New York is among several states that have passed laws mandating or encouraging teachers to broaden their history classes. New Jersey was the first to do so, in 2002, after Assemblyman Bill Payne conceived and wrote the Amistad Commission bill, named after the Africans who took over their slave ship, ended up in Connecticut and won freedom in court.
Several years later, many New Jersey teachers were unaware that the law existed, and many who wanted to comply did not have the resources or knowledge to diversify their lessons, Payne says.
Remembering heritage
Next fall, New Jersey’s Amistad Commission will deploy a new set of Internet-based lesson plans for teachers to use statewide.
“I’m concerned about black and white kids’ education,” says Payne, who is no longer in the legislature and travels the country lecturing about his Amistad Commission. “This is not a black history course. I’m taking about U.S. history. I’m an American.”
Yet even Payne thinks that Black History Month should remain, because “we should not give up our heritage.”
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Original article
(Posted on February 9, 2009)
Comments
“If Obama’s election means anything, it means that African-American history IS American history and should be remembered and recognized every day of the year,” says Stephen Donovan, a 41-year-old lawyer.
Like it isn’t already?
The only time in my life I ever disagreed with the Late Great Dr. Samuel Francis was over the debate he and Lou Calabro had over the concept of a White History Month. Lou was for it simply because every other group has a month, Sam was against because he doesn’t think we should be demoted to a month. Why I settled with Lou’s position is that it may be a month, but it would be something to get whites thinking about our own selves alone.
I have news for Mr. Payne’s conscientious bosom. Regular history is pretty much black history too. Or at least from the black viewpoint. This is just those who already have the advantage clamoring for a more effective stranglehold with which to choke us, past, present, and future.
Aren’t we studying black history year round now?
Let’s face it- history is being re-written to make sure all future white children learn that blacks really invented the stop light, air conditioning, microwave radiation, etc. etc. Heck, Cleopatra was black, accordng to some AMREN trolls. Combine these fictional accounts with the media frenzy to show all blacks as upwardly mobile, fully articulate and mannerly gentlemen and women, and the Marxist fairy tale is complete.
Ending “paternalistic” observances like Black History Month, Donovan believes, would lead to “not only a reduction in racism, but whites more ready and willing and able to celebrate our difference, enjoy our traditions, without feeling the stain of guilt that stifles frank dialogue and acceptance across cultures.”
How? Spreading lies about how several U.S. presidents were of “African ancestry ? How, without the inherent genius of the unfortunate black slaves we’d be living in a mopless, elevatorless world?
And “guilt” only affects whites.
“I think it all should be taught collectively—every month.”
I know they’ll never touch the white part of U.S. history - not only will non-whites start complaining that the white part of U.S. history isn’t “diverse” enough, but do they really want to be reminded that whites were largely happier before blacks, “Hispanics”, Indians etc were forced on them?
Case in point: I watched a documentary on the History Channel last year lamenting the “racism” and “evils” of the British Empire, but promoting the “diversity” and “multi-culturalism” of the British “Commonwealth”, especially in Britain. To illustrate this point, it compared the same street at the same time of a major city across the last 50 years:1950’s Britain : There were only a handful of content white pedestrians, the shops were all in English and the streets were clean.2000’s Britain : A tide of brown faces, with the occasional black or white face (black moreso than white), all looking depressed or sullen, most of the shops had bi-(or tri-)lingual signs and the ground was awful to look at.
Yet even Payne thinks that Black History Month should remain, because “we should not give up our heritage.”
Who’s “we”? In our Glorious Post-Racial Age of the God-President Obama (Let the Heavens shine upon the Blessed One!) I do hope he wasn’t referring to race…
Get a lawn chair, a cooler and go sit near a busy welfare office and one can learn all one needs to know about blacks. In the evening, use the same lawn chair at the local cheap bar and learn the nocturnal habits of blacks. End of lesson.
As somebody jokingly wrote: Black History that has benefitted mankind could be recorded on the back of a postage stamp.
But, on second thought, I guess that’s not a joke at all.
“Many have long argued that African-American history should be incorporated into year-round education.”
Why would they argue that? Are these same people suggesting Black “history” isn’t already a year-round feature of every educational curriculum extant, and has been for decades and decades?! What a load…
Yet even Payne thinks that Black History Month should remain, because “we should not give up our heritage.”………………………Judging from I see from blacks their heritage should be the first thing to go. Welfare, crime, unwed mothers, dropping out of school, unemployable, ETC., this is the heritage they don’t want to give up?
History? What Black History? Those magnificent civilzations spread across Africa… between the Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic. Who were using electric power, modern technology while those vaunted Greece thinkers philosphers wouldn’t appear yet for several centuries? Those incredible Black thinkers who invented mathematics, geometry, delved in anatomy, medicine, formulated a written language… Two thousand years before Romans started on their world conquest?
Maybe IF Blacks had some real history, we wouldn’t have to go thru the charade of Black History month (I mean year).
As long as only the truth is taught, so be it, but this would be another golden opportunity for the lies about black achievements, scientific, educational, medical, first on the Moon etc, to be preached.
That would be the great drawback of such a move. Perhaps though te truth would cause those who promote th move to stop calling for it as it would not be beneficial for African Americans to all be exposed to the truth, Robert Mugabe the genocidal maniac and canniballistic Idi Amin to name but two out of many that would have to be part of the curriculum.
Perhaps not a bad idea after all.
I can see how blacks would now want this holiday forgotten. Removing BHM would erase another glaring and embarrassing failure.
When the observance was started, Carter Woodson was content to celebrate “Black History Week.” The month of February was chosen not due to its short length, but because Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were both born during the same month.
Since Obama has made it to the mountain top, isn’t it time to abolish this exercise?
There is no justification for any more than Black History Minute. The nonsense and lies must stop. Our children, even those with African DNA who wish to live in our Western world must learn much more about Galileo, Newton, Mozart, Shakespeare, Jefferson, and all the other dead White males who created the modern world, then they need know about Martin Luther King and Jackie Robinson. Black History created Africa. Muti instead of medicine is the result. Tribal tyranny and baby rape abound. Liberty is nowhere. White science, books, philosophy, mathematics, and theology define the world of MRI machines and space travel. Black history is irrelevant. I don’t care if it makes you feel bad. Learn calculus and you can fly to Mars in space ships that we created based upon the principles discovered by OUR forebears. Learn about Malcolm X and you can spend your life as a victim with your hand out forever.
Our future must be separate, friends. Either we shall become Africa, or they must assimilate. Healthy tissue dominates, or cancer takes over and kills. There can be no accomodation, one with the other.
Great more nonsense about how blacks created math and the pyramids. Just like Yemesi Oyeniyi in the above article, who is black, knows nothing about hispanic history month because she is not hispanic. I know nothing and care nothing about black history because I am white.
Why end Black History Month? Who cares? Only African Americans celebrate it. Does this effect you?
You shouldnt care what they do focus on you, your family, and your country. Not African American History month, which is something most blacks dont celebrate or care about.
I remember when I was in high school and living in a black neighborhood only a handful of blacks celebrated black history month let alone new what month it was. MLK JR day was widely celebrated but the students and parents had to constantly reminded what day it was. LOL! Which I always thought was weird because I couldnt image having to remind blacks to not work or good school on certain days.
Black “history” enthusiasts can learn the subject on their own time. They have no right to force feed their agenda on unsuspecting white kids. Black history would take credit for all the good things in this world while white history would be a study focusing on our vices and alleged moral inferiority. No thanks.
This article is another example of the danger that leftist journalists and unelected bureaucrats pose to white children.
>>>When the observance was started, Carter Woodson was content to celebrate “Black History Week.” The month of February was chosen not due to its short length, but because Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were both born during the same month.
If you do five minutes’ research on Carter G. Woodson, you also find that he wanted there to be a time when “Black History Week” was no longer needed. However, such words are blasphamy to the race hustlers in America today.
The great majority of black written history is to be found in police ledgers and court criminal files across the country. The contributions by Africans that have advanced the human race are almost nothing.
“The only time in my life I ever disagreed with the Late Great Dr. Samuel Francis was over the debate he and Lou Calabro had over the concept of a White History Month. Lou was for it simply because every other group has a month, Sam was against because he doesn’t think we should be demoted to a month. Why I settled with Lou’s position is that it may be a month, but it would be something to get whites thinking about our own selves alone.”
Posted by Question Diversity at 5:43 PM on February 9
What you have to realize is that if white history month was declared, the curriculum would be determined by white marxists. The lesson plans would look something like this:
White history month brought to you courtesy of the $PLC.
Got rid of cable tv several months ago so all I get is a few broadcast channels. No big deal since I watch little tv anyway. PBS is one of the few I get.
Payne,travels the country lecturing about his Amistad Commission.”This is not a black history course. I’m taking about U.S. history.
Is he saying their history is about taking?
Probably off-topic:
Any group that uses xxxx-American as their “name” is suspiciously weird, with some sort of PC agenda. For instance, have you ever known an Italian, Korean, Russian, Frenchman, etc., who, being born here or maybe a long-time resident, referred to himself as an xxxx-American? I haven’t, and have met & known people from many origins. They say, “I’m Italian”, “I’m Korean”, etc., assuming that their American accent & behavior means that they are de facto Americans. The true history of the USA, that it was founded by & for British whites, seems to “bum everyone out”. of the leftist persuasion; but, that FACT will never change, no matter what sort of “history” they try to foist on our grandchildren.
“European-American”—please! (gagging)
Question: What is Black History?
Answer: How white people has (supposedly) screwed them.
They can’t point to any accomplishments or achievements so they must portray themselves as hapless victims or heroic underdogs.
“A multiracial, multiethnic society has to work at its relationships, just like you have to work at your marriage.”
In case they haven’t noticed, the divorce rates are at over 50%, and the divorce rates for inter-racial marriages are even higher. And the rates of domestic violence in inter-racial marriages and relationships are much higher than same-race marriages. I’m sure that’s not an accurate microcosm of society at large.
Quick. Everyone rush off to their nearest Marxist therapist so that we can all live peacefully together in this multi-cultural paradise.
They now have this “black history month” nonsense (what ordinary people used to call FEBRUARY) here in Canada, too. Except that Canada DOESN’T HAVE a black history. Oh well, who needs facts when your dealing with blacks. These guys built the pyramids you know. (Sarcasm).
I agree with all those who contend that Black History Month was invented for the purpose of producing White Guilt and political and social manipulation thereby. And I agree that no everyday Black seems to know about it. However, since the election, every Black I have crossed paths with in public has been condescending and seemingly extremely happy - in a way that I can only interpret as gloating.
“If Obama’s election means anything, it means that African-American history IS American history”
Except Obama has no African-American history. He has strictly African history on one side of lineage.
In Georgia the elementary and middle schools are fed so much black history that every kid white or black can tell you everything about MLK, Geo Washington Carver and Harriet Tubbman. The same kids have never heard of Neil Armstrong, Winston Churchill or Douglas Mac Arthur. This could be why Georgia students have such an amazingly hard time with the social studies portions of any standardized tests. However, those tests are being “upgraded” to be more Georgia Friendly.
Black history consists of the first blacks to accomplish things that whites accomplished one hundred years before them. Like: the first black to use indoor plumbing, the first black to mow their law, etc.
We should be studying black history year round? Hell schools not only already study black history year round but they worship the great wonderful black race year round.
Posted by DiMaggio at 8:36 PM on February 9
Good post!
It points to something I’ve been saying for ages. The problem is not just the Left. The Left has merely seized an opportunity to do, well, what they do. The problem is a civilization that started to rest on its laurels once it was inherited by a social class, the Middle Class, who was convinced that all they needed was economic prosperity, and economic prosperity was, at that time, surely on the way. And, as long as it was who had NEED of any of those dusty old predecessors? Well, we can see now where that thinking has lead us.
The most important History to learn today, the History that should be taught in all institutions of Higher Learning is, without quetstion, Cultural History. The Right and Left fumbled this opportunity and turned History into an Ideological Battleground. It would become a battle that the Right would lose, badly. The thing is, if you study Cultural History you tend to lose interest in Ideologies and Ideological thinking. And that is why the Left isn’t interested in it, or the Right.
Reply to Nick Peters:
“They can’t point to any accomplishments or achievements”,,,,
Good point. That got me to thinking. All across the black world you don’t see anything to marvel at. Look at the Orient for example. There is the great wall of China. The temple complex of Angkor Wat. India has the Taj Mahal. Where is any of this in sub-saharan Africa? (Please don’t mention the pyramids. The ancient Egyptians were NOT black). You don’t see any Stonehenge. No colosseum. Nothing really. It’s the same in the West Indies. No architectural marvels anywhere. What has Haiti ever given the world? The paucity of historical monuments across black Africa is striking. I guess when your history can’t be positive it has to be negative. Hence the emphasis on victimization.
“All across the black world you don’t see anything to marvel at. Where is any of this in sub-saharan Africa? (Please don’t mention the pyramids. The ancient Egyptians were NOT black). You don’t see any Stonehenge. No colosseum. Nothing really.”
If anybody bothered to check the facts, it would seem curious indeed how these buildings in Ethiopia “just happened” to be built in such a perfect imitation of Portuguese baroque style! (I suppose they’d say the Portuguese stole their architecture from Ethiopia.)
Someday they will point to the moldering ruins of the Hilton hotel in Nairobi and brag about the great architectural achievements and marvellous standard of living of their glorious ancestors, proving that they really did give the world plumbing and electric lighting after all.
What you have to realize is that if white history month was declared, the curriculum would be determined by white marxists. The lesson plans would look something like this:
Week 5: Why the white world needs blacks to keep working!
