Hello All!! So I just remembered that February was black history month. Maybe I was not phased because I just so happen to be black 12 months out of the year! We are now in March and it is Woman's History Month. I am a woman every day, all day, so I guess I will not be celebrating that much either. I prefer to celebrate the black woman I am every day!
That brings me to the topic at hand. Should there be a Black History Month? Should there be a Woman's History Month? What about Hispanic Heritage Month? I am not Hispanic, but I guess they need love too.
Here's why I'm mad:
I read a Newsweek article yesterday that brought this topic to my attention. People are questioning whether we should still have Black History Month, after all, we have our first African-American President. Are women still fighting for gender-equality? After all, a major Democratic candidate for the Presidency was a woman. Are Hispanics still being discriminated against? After all, they are the growing minority group in the country. The answer to all of these questions is an unequivocal YES!
Black history, along with Women's Herstory and Hispanic Heritage are interwoven in the fabric of the United States of America. To not give these different stories the attention they deserve leaves out a very important piece of the American puzzle. African Americans need to know when they used to be counted as 3/5 of a person; women need to know there was a time they could not vote; Hispanics need to know what really went down in the Mexican-American War.
Along with knowing these important facts, we need to read literature that highlights the past grievances against both women and minorities. It is important for people to know what their past was in order fully grasp and respect their present. So yes, we need to keep these various "months" because that is the only time people are truly taught, in depth, about what it meant to be Black, a Woman, or Hispanic in this country.
Schools can only do so much. It is imperative that parents teach their kids about all the different facets of life represented in this country. We do not live in a perfect and equal world, but until then, we can learn about the steps we have taken to get to where we are now and use that knowledge to get us to where we need to be in the future. In one word, sankofa.
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2 comments:
Now... Black History Month this year went away because of Obama, i'm convinced. I don't agree with it, but I can see it. I find Hispanic Heritage Month to be hilarious because it starts halfway through a month and go halfway into the next.
Here's the thing about the months though. People who aren't included in the months, don't give a whoot. Like you think some man cares that it's woman's history month, nope. White folk don't even care about Black History month, it's on Black folk to celebrate it.
LOL!
Love the name and title
I'll be back to read more
e.
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