February is Black History Month and is no longer serving its intended purpose. It has turned into a mundane, meaningless and commercialized farce. Some folks pay only perfunctory lip service to the month.
The celebration was started in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, an educator, and was then known as Negro History Week. Woodson selected a week in February because that's when some African-American folks celebrated the birthdays of two heroes, Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln. The purpose of that first Negro History Week was to recognize the importance of black history to America. Woodson never intended the week to be celebrated in perpetuity.
According to historian John Hope Franklin, Woodson "fervently hoped that soon the history of African Americans would become an integral part of American history and would be observed throughout the year. In succeeding years down to his death in 1950, he continued to express the hope that Negro History Week would outlive its usefulness.''
In 1976, Negro History Week became Black History Month. Many in the media have embraced this month, giving token nods by publishing more articles about African Americans in February and by airing special programs, public service announcements and movies. Museums and libraries also hold special exhibits, lectures and events.
But Black History Month has become a ready-made excuse to ignore African-American history and contributions for the other 11 months of the year. It's little more than a bone to throw to us.
In 1998, the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education conducted a symposium on whether Black History Month still served a useful purpose. The introduction stated that February has become a "marketing weapon'' for advertisers and book publishers to boost sales and then abandon them for the remainder of the year. There also are special marketing efforts made during the month of February for selling other products, like liquor, nicotine and sodas, to the African-American community, according to the journal.
But what is lost in this commercialization is the essence of Woodson's dream: to recall the contributions of African Americans in history, industry, the arts and sciences and all aspects of our country.
Except for students in our grade schools, who do benefit from the Black History Month curriculum, most people don't gain much of an appreciation for African Americans in February, or during any other month, for that matter.
And that's the problem. We're kidding ourselves if we think that by designating February as Black History Month we're really doing anything to honor African Americans or to combat racial prejudice in this country, our Black President notwithstanding. For it is this prejudice that continues to divide us.
Instead of a month of perfunctory gestures, we need yearlong efforts of recognizing African Americans who made -- and continue to make -- a contribution.
These contributions need to be an integral part of our lives all year, not just the shortest year of the month even in this a leap year.
Follow Akilah Bolden-Monifa on Twitter: www.twitter.com/amonifa
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I really enjoyed reading your article. You have stated your point quite accurately, in my opinion. With your permission, I would also like to add more to your story by pointing out the biggest threat of all to Blacks; which is the daily extermination of the race itself. I am not talking about direct attacks of the Black race by any means, however, just the opposite. Blacks for many years have been bombarded with so many innuendo's from Hollywood and the media that now it is standard practice around the globe.
Not to included drugs, food, diseases, and constant brain washing from everyday marketing franchises directed solely at Blacks.
It is my true belief that the Black race will be extinct by the year 2055. I know this may be way over the top for to accept for anyone, however, the facts do not lie. And, we are the only race on the entire planet that is dying by the numbers everyday. Soon, Black history month will be another little paragraph in some future child's history book and that child may not even know what a Black person really looks like.
Just my "Two Cents"
Thank You
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Rescue at Pine Ridge is the untold story of the 9th Cavalry from its Congressional conception in 1866, to the rescue of the famed 7th Cavalry by the 9th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers. The 7th Cavalry was entrapped again, after the Little Big Horn Massacre, fourteen years later, the day after the Wounded Knee Massacre. If it wasn't for the 9th Buffalo Soldiers, there would of been a second massacre of the 7th Cavalry. This story is about, brutality, compassion, reprisal, bravery, heroism, redemption and gallantry.
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Peace.
We have got to change this.... I write to you to ask how can I help. What can we do to bring more awareness to this and the plight and issues with in our community. I saw yet, another article today about the issue of color with in our community, a boy was stabbed in the back with a pencil at school for not being black enough...REALLY....We're just not gonna address this...I saw 45 comments on this story and I was appalled because this is an outrage and should no longer be tolerated in our or any community...but particularly ours.
I look forward to hearing back from you if possible.
Thanks for your article hopefully more people will read this,
O
I am in complete agreement with you. I woke today to my normal routine...checking all my fav papers and news shows on NPR. I have gone further by checking magazines and publications that I don't normally read. I am appalled right now at the lack of intrest in this month even within our own community. It's as if we have forgotten that we didn't even have our history taught in school or society prior to Black history week. But you are correct in stating that it's purpose, of including our history in the remaining 11 months, has been lost.
But it's so much worse than that because now We and America do not even promote our history during the month that is dedicated to our history. I am saddened to see that our children will not be taught their own history. I am sad to see that it seems like my people just don't care. I am extremely sadden to see that the Marketing Machine has taken this holiday and made it as trivial a Valentine's Day or any other "Marketing Holiday". With products that are specific to our community.
Continued....