Celebrating Black History Month is Necessary

Recently I read an article that was opposed to Black history month being celebrated because the writer believes educational facilities should talk about Black history all year round. The writer also stated that Black people are being shortchanged considering Black history month is the shortest month of the year. Although I understood where he was going with his points, the fact that he raised his points is a clear sign of why Black history month needs to say. And in reading the comments from that same article, that is a definite stamp of approval for why so many people need this month regardless of whether they know it or not. Those who are not educated in Black history, literature, and culture will probably agree with his points, although they are highly inaccurate. In the article below, I state my rebuttal for why Black history month should not only remain, but why it is absolutely necessary then and now.

Why is Black history month the shortest month of the year?

Black history month was established in 1976 by the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life. Originally, it was created by Carter G. Woodson (Black author, editor, publisher, and historian) as Negro History Week in 1926. He selected a week in February to celebrate both Frederick Douglass' and Abraham Lincoln's birthday, and to educate a massive amount of people on the contributions of Black people. In that time period, Black leaders, historians, writers, inventors, etc. were not commonly introduced and banned from being mentioned in educational forums, so it was necessary to bring about proper attention to them in another way. Omega Psi Phi, of which Carter G. Woodson was a member, also latched onto the idea and created Negro Achievement Week in 1924.

Why is Black history month necessary?

Historical documents of that time period barely mentioned Black leaders in them, so word of mouth and publications by Black leaders was the safest and most beneficial way to teach young Black people (as well as older Black people) about their heritage. Sadly, in today's society, majority of textbooks gloss over the history and literature of Blacks. There is the occasional mention of a couple of poets like Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Countee Cullen in literature books, and in history books, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X get a paragraph. But to graduate from most elementary schools, high schools, and colleges, there is no requirement for Black history to be taught. When taking a course in high school, I was informed by my counselor and one English teacher that I would have to take British literature in order to graduate, but if I took African American literature, it would not count towards my grade. The same thing happened when I was taking courses for my Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing/English, before I transferred to a Historically Black College, which also required me to take British literature. American literature courses have minutely improved mentioning Blacks in their courses, but it is usually more apparent in February than any other month of the year. In the spring of 2001, I sat in a course in which a hostile debate occurred about whether more Blacks should be put into the literary canon. One student stated that he felt Blacks should not be included since they couldn't read or write anyway, never mind the fact that the legal system made it illegal for Blacks to learn to read and write. For people like him, this is a prime example of why Black history month must stay and professors and teachers should be forced to teach it, if not all the time, at least during that month. Ironically, in this same American literature course, I asked the professor when we would talk about Harlem Renaissance writers and she stated that she "saves that for the last two weeks of the semester," as if it somehow needed to be pushed to the side. Until standardized tests, textbooks, and classroom practices equally mention minorities as well as the majority population, there is a vast need of Black history month to force educators, as well as students, into learning Black history themselves.

Isn't making a month to teach Black history further ostracizing Black people?

Let's be realistic. Black people have been ostracized for centuries and I find it highly offensive when I hear members of the majority population somehow feel wronged by Blacks getting attention. I do not understand why it is so important to other races to be opposed to Black people who want to take the time to celebrate their own race. To say that we shouldn't have a special month if whites cannot is insanely ignorant. If I were to suggest getting rid of St. Patrick's Day because Irish people should celebrate their culture year round, I can guarantee many Irish people would be up in arms. If I were to say that Christmas or Easter should not be celebrated on one day because religion should be celebrated year round, I can guarantee spiritual people everywhere would be irate. There is nothing wrong with taking time to celebrate a culture. If it is not something that you would prefer to celebrate, then that is your business. But, do not criticize those who do. When Black people mention that most advertisements, images in books, and dolls are predominantly white, then we are accused of pulling the race card, but somehow, we're conveniently accused of being attention seekers.

If there is a Black history month, then shouldn't there be a month for other cultures as well?

People who are unfamiliar with the history of Black culture constantly bring up this erroneous question. Black history was not some great perk of being Black. There was nothing in the educational system, in the 20s and barely now, that consistently brought up the history of Black culture. On the contrary, the culture of Europeans and white Americans have been brought up consistently. Should there be a month for other minorities who have also been ignored in education? Personally, I wish the Board of Education would make it necessary for all cultures to be discussed equally, but until that happens, I think it is imperative that all cultures be taught about their own cultures as well as those unlike theirs. Hispanic Heritage month is from September 15 to October 15, with the beginning date celebrating the anniversary for five Latin American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua). November is National American Indian Heritage month. March is Women's History Month. If anything, Americans are doubling their education, not hindering it. If it is so disgruntling to take the time to learn about a culture other than your own regardless of the timeframe, then you need not live in a country that was built by so many different races, especially Black slaves.

Wouldn't it be more beneficial if Black history was taught throughout the year instead of one sole month?

Yes, but even after Brown vs. Board of Education, Blacks are still not represented fairly in textbooks. If teachers have an issue with having to shove centuries of history into one month, talk to the department heads and the Board about making it all year round. If students have issues with learning about it for one month, talk to the Board yourself, your parents, or your teachers to change it. If one can take the time to write an article about how they don't believe in celebrating a certain month, why not take that kind of drive into an educational office and use it on the people who can change it? Black History month is not intended to only be taught for 28/29 days; it is motivation to continue the teaching process, and if teachers or professors choose not to, then that month brings more pressure to make them. And as for the people who have an issue with learning about Black culture altogether, pack your bags and move. We're here to stay!