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2/3/2014 8:19:50 PM
7
I think it's awkward that we're segregating Black History Month from the other eleven months of history.
English
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It's not really segregation. It's not like any mention of African American achievement is shunned during the other eleven months. Same with non-black achievement, it can still be celebrated during February.
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We don't have Irish history month or English or Chinese history months. Those groups all had a large part to play in American history, and we teach it when we reach those points in history classes. I mean that there being a month devoted to a particular group, even a very important group, takes their history out of context with the rest of history, like it's somehow more important than the rest of American history or doesn't need a context. I'm not criticizing motives behind it, good or bad. What I'm meaning is that black history in America spans at least a century and a half's worth of context and we ought to be teaching [i]all[/i] of our history--black, white, shamrock and sauerkraut--as it occurs against the backdrop of world events, sociopolitical developments, and technological advances. Nothing happens in a vacuum; I think BHM takes an entire people group's history out of context and that if we isolate it, we do everyone's contributions to American history a disservice.
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[quote]We don't have Irish history month or English or Chinese history months. Those groups all had a large part to play in American history, and we teach it when we reach those points in history classes. I mean that there being a month devoted to a particular group, even a very important group, takes their history out of context with the rest of history, like it's somehow more important than the rest of American history or doesn't need a context. I'm not criticizing motives behind it, good or bad. What I'm meaning is that black history in America spans at least a century and a half's worth of context and we ought to be teaching [i]all[/i] of our history--black, white, shamrock and sauerkraut--as it occurs against the backdrop of world events, sociopolitical developments, and technological advances. Nothing happens in a vacuum; I think BHM takes an entire people group's history out of context and that if we isolate it, we do everyone's contributions to American history a disservice.[/quote] Do we really want a English heritage month?
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I'm saying we ought drop Culture-of-the-Month and just teach American history. Blacks were and are Americans, and their being oppressed then and now is part of our history as a nation and ought be taught in that context. There are English history and African studies type classes; there it is appropriate to look at other nations and people groups specifically and so long as the class continues; I wouldn't expect my English History professor to interrupt a day's lectures to have us celebrate Chinese New Year. I would expect, however, for the professor to bring us Chinese culture and history when and where it pertains to English history.
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[quote]We don't have Irish history month or English or Chinese history months. Those groups all had a large part to play in American history, and we teach it when we reach those points in history classes.[/quote]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish-American_Heritage_Month The histories of those three may not have been as neglected as African American history, which is why a couple of those may not have months.
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Neglect of black history in American history does not justify isolating black history into February; it justifies correcting the neglect of black history as a part of American history. I would say that perhaps BHM is possibly a well-meaning red herring, but going fishing doesn't make your chores done when you get home.
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I don't think it really "isolates" black history, it just emphasizes it more during that month. MLK's achievements are still recognized on his birthday in January. Black veterans are still honored during Veteran's/Memorial Day. It's kinda like National Hug day, you may or may not do it during other days, but it emphasizes that you should hug people on that day and that other people should hug you on that day because the name itself reminds you that you should hug people.
