The Black History Month Controversy
by Candyss Joseph
Issue date: 2/1/06 Section: News
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One of the main reasons why black history has changed is because of a more tolerant multicultural America where cultural diversity is embraced. However many argue that its severance creates a divide with members of other races, divides and labels. The fact is "Black history is American history" Morgan Freeman stated on a CBS '60 Minutes' aired December 2005. "You're going to relegate my history to a month?" asks Freeman. "I don't want a Black History Month". Freeman and many argue that an individual should not be labeled by ethnicity, in order to decrease racism. Others argue that a society that rejects the cultural division rejects history and the things which make America diverse. And it is therein that the problem lies; how can racial labels be erased without forgetting race?
It is a fact that each individual is so genetically different that each person can be considered to be their own individual race, or all part of one universal race called human. "We're all different" says Andrea Coman a student at Lehman College, "us as New Yorkers, Americans and us as human beings means we're part of this whole other culture, a culture that's made up of a lot of other cultures and each should be appreciated". Coman speaks of a world culture, a culture not of separated ethnicities but together as people, as members of the human race. Black history creates closeness among blacks and unification with other races in that it promotes the universal aspects of brotherhood and equality. This unification black history creates is a vital part of this 'world culture' bringing everyone together in a celebration of tolerance.
African American youth in New York live in a time where their rights are handed to them at birth. Some live in contentment and acceptance, ignorant products of decades of protests and racial unrest. Because their freedoms have already been achieved, on a superficial level, there is an appearance that there is nothing to fight for. Brittany Griffin, a student at Lehman College condemns the status quo. "Black History Month is the time in which we should appreciate the accomplishments of out forefathers but young African Americans today are hypocrites to what they celebrate because they don't take advantage of the freedoms that our forefathers worked so hard for". Other ethnicities usually celebrate Black History Month such as city teachers, friends of blacks and/or other minorities to celebrate togetherness and tolerance. Some African Americans feel that this celebration by other races is disrespectful because some celebrate without fully understanding or acknowledging its meaning. "…why celebrate black history if you're not going to respect it?" says Iori Diallo a student at Hunter College. But the image of the African American has significantly evolved; there is an increase of cultural integration especially in New York, it is seen in the interracial couple and on the faces of every biracial or multiracial child. Because of this ethnic blending, labels are disintegrating, but then so is cultural appreciation. This is where Black History Month comes in; it is the preservation of history for a changing ethnicity.
Many say change is essential for proper development, history gains momentum as culture evolves. "Black history is a grand rich thing and it cannot be devalued by any individual or any group" says Daniel Bennet a history teacher at Theodore Roosevelt High School. Whether or not Black History Month creates an inner racism remains an opinionated debate, but one thing remains: In this 80 th year of observance and commemoration of black history, America stands reflective on how far we have come and determined as to how much further we must go. Black History must not be remembered, for the word remembered implies that somewhere along the line it was forgotten, it must be learned, lived and respected in the context of time.
It is a fact that each individual is so genetically different that each person can be considered to be their own individual race, or all part of one universal race called human. "We're all different" says Andrea Coman a student at Lehman College, "us as New Yorkers, Americans and us as human beings means we're part of this whole other culture, a culture that's made up of a lot of other cultures and each should be appreciated". Coman speaks of a world culture, a culture not of separated ethnicities but together as people, as members of the human race. Black history creates closeness among blacks and unification with other races in that it promotes the universal aspects of brotherhood and equality. This unification black history creates is a vital part of this 'world culture' bringing everyone together in a celebration of tolerance.
African American youth in New York live in a time where their rights are handed to them at birth. Some live in contentment and acceptance, ignorant products of decades of protests and racial unrest. Because their freedoms have already been achieved, on a superficial level, there is an appearance that there is nothing to fight for. Brittany Griffin, a student at Lehman College condemns the status quo. "Black History Month is the time in which we should appreciate the accomplishments of out forefathers but young African Americans today are hypocrites to what they celebrate because they don't take advantage of the freedoms that our forefathers worked so hard for". Other ethnicities usually celebrate Black History Month such as city teachers, friends of blacks and/or other minorities to celebrate togetherness and tolerance. Some African Americans feel that this celebration by other races is disrespectful because some celebrate without fully understanding or acknowledging its meaning. "…why celebrate black history if you're not going to respect it?" says Iori Diallo a student at Hunter College. But the image of the African American has significantly evolved; there is an increase of cultural integration especially in New York, it is seen in the interracial couple and on the faces of every biracial or multiracial child. Because of this ethnic blending, labels are disintegrating, but then so is cultural appreciation. This is where Black History Month comes in; it is the preservation of history for a changing ethnicity.
Many say change is essential for proper development, history gains momentum as culture evolves. "Black history is a grand rich thing and it cannot be devalued by any individual or any group" says Daniel Bennet a history teacher at Theodore Roosevelt High School. Whether or not Black History Month creates an inner racism remains an opinionated debate, but one thing remains: In this 80 th year of observance and commemoration of black history, America stands reflective on how far we have come and determined as to how much further we must go. Black History must not be remembered, for the word remembered implies that somewhere along the line it was forgotten, it must be learned, lived and respected in the context of time.