So few days, so many holidays
Has Black History Month losts its flare or is the politically correct phase just over and done? I mean, if even only to be PC it used to get mentions. Peep the intro to this partner newsletter that I just received.
"Isn’t it amazing how many things get packed into the shortest month of the year? Between the celebrations of Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Mardi Gras and The Great Backyard Bird Count, it’s hard to believe we get anything done at all. "
Really, the Great Backyard Bird Count got a shout out?
I didn't know what that was, so in case you're as clueless as me...I looked it up. The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all levels in counting birds and reporting their results to create a mid-winter snapshot of the numbers, kinds, and distribution of birds across the continent.
Who really celebrates President's Day? I had to work, but we were allowed to wear jeans.
RSH
posted by Atsui_Gal @ 10:17 AM
7 Comments:
I wonder if we even need a black history month. I didn't catch the show but Morgan Freeman said this on "60 Minutes"
<<"You're going to relegate my history to a month?" Freeman asked in an interview broadcast on "60 Minutes" in December. "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history.">>
If I'm not getting a day off work or a big sale, I'm not feeling this month. I think it's great for students, but other than that corporate America just uses it as time to show some love to the Black community and run blatant PR campaigns about how much they "appreciate" Black spending. Morgan has a point. Intergrate Black history into American history and let it be that. Cast black actors in commercials all year.
OR we could use the month to talk openly about racism and civil rights for all Americans, but I know how painful that would be for folks. It definitely needs a direction.
This article is interesting, it has that Morgan Freeman quote and tells the orgins of Black History Month. It started as a week, who knew?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/01/28/MNG1KGV3O61.DTL
I just think that the desires of the black community have changed, much like wanting to be called negro or not wanting to be called black at one point. White ppl (and others) are still trying to figure out what the hell we want to be called.. and I think this month may be one of those things past generations really wanted. But it really feels like something you give 2nd class citizens, although I think at first it was supposed to make black history stand out above the rest of history, for just one month.
Honestly, I'm glad I hardly heard about "Black History Month" this year and I hope it goes away. It's about as patronizing as G.W. giving a a shot out to Kwanzaa. "Here ya go negros. We'll recognize your contributions to history this month. Y'all run along now."
Not only is it just a month, but it's still all the same material that's really already being taught. We ALL know about George Washington Carver and Fredrick Douglas. There is never any mention of the history that isn't already in the books.
How about a blurb about how the Romans emulated the culture they found in western Africa... Mabye a "now you know" about how black people were doing just fine during the "dark ages" when people in London were tossing their sewage right out their windows and allowing it to actually flow down the middle of the street...
It's no longer an issue of "black history" being acknowleged. It's an issue of what parts of history are being left out.
sorry.. I meant eastern Africa, not western.
I'm re-thinking my views after reading your points.
I do remember when you could only see a black family in a Hallmark commercial when a black special (i.e. Roots or Queen) was on TV. Those definitely were NOT the days.
I used to be soooo hype for Black History Month. I damn near used to look forward to it like a kid looks forward to Christmas. The library would bring out all the BHistory books and I would damn near read 3 a week. But yea since I have been out of college I really haven't given a damn. I almost forgot this month was BHM. Maybe it is an educational thing. Or maybe now I KNOW Black History IS American history so I just don't put as much of a premium on it. I think we need it at LEAST just for folk in school so these white kids can have some sort of exposure. Because lord knows if BHM was done away with how in the world would they know bout those black figures that we all know about. And u know what else gets on my nerves when folk say "and we had to get the shortest month" not knowing Woodson selected this Month b/c of the bdays of Lincoln and F. Douglass...but that was just a pet peeve of mine...
Black culture: bling, big booties, slang.. d.a. makes an interesting, while foul, point.
Black culture has been assigned its place and maybe because you see so much of it, you don't realize that you're not really seeing the good part. Just the bullshit.
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