Black history month is mainly a month that promotes racism among society. In nineteen seventy-six, America names February as black history month, as a commemoration of significant events and individuals of the African-American ancestry. Even though, black history month started as an innocent idea and if the American government would have rejected it, there would have been a colossal backlash across the black community. However, if one would take a step back and look at the big picture, one would notice that black history is American history, shows that not all ethnic groups is treated equally and brings a past time up that pours salt in old wounds. Under those circumstances, there should not be a black history month in the United States …show more content…
The African-American people get a whole month to celebrate their rich history, but what about the other ethnic groups that live in America, including the Asian-Americans, Native-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and European-Americans. Why don’t these ethnic groups deserve there own month, have they not played an important role in American history, what makes the African-Americans extra special to deserve their own month. One may say that the African-Americans was taken from their homeland, lived in slavery and segregation, which is all true, but that was a long time ago and this country has moved forward and passed laws to end slavery and segregation of the African-Americans. Even though, they left their homeland of Africa unwillingly by means of purchase or trade by their own people, turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because America is doing far better off than Africa, due to the poverty and disease. On the other hand, the Native-Americans are the most deserving ethnic group to have their own history month. If the African-Americans think they had a terrible past, they need to look at the Native-Americans horrific past. The Native-Americans were the first people to populate the American domain, until the European-Americans started settling the lands and nearly wiped out the entire Native-American race, along with taken all of their homeland away from them. Providing that, the Native-Americans only make up a little over one percent of today’s population. For instance, if one went inside a restaurant and looks around, the chances of seeing a full-blooded Native-American family having dinner together are slim to none. Anyhow, all five of the American ethnic groups have contributed to the American society throughout the years and having only one ethnic group get their own month is preposterousness and
Cultural identity is a person’s background and how it refers to that person or groups culture, what you eat, think, and the actions that you take are all parts of the cultural aspect of culture identity. If you was to ask someone what the culture identity of the African Americans were no matter the race of the person you asked they nine times out of ten would mention the importance of black history month, but while the races around us are able to recognize the importance of this historic month why is it that today’s generation of young African Americans don’t realize the importance of this month? The race of people it celebrates, has placed it on the back burner. Due to the rise of technology and social media in today’s age has taken the youth’s eyes off of what is culturally vital in the black community opposed to the generations that came before.
Most public schools in the United States kept it simple and straight to the point. They taught, what we know as, “Black History” from the media’s standpoint. This concept neglects the true meaning of black history in the educational system, making it hard for African Americans to be prideful in who they are. Knowing history other than what the school systems tells us African Americans would not only give us more knowledge, but would allow us to stand up against others when try to put down our history. Media gives us mainly negative perspectives with very little positives of our
It is impossible for anyone to survive a horrible event in their life without a relationship to have to keep them alive. The connection and emotional bond between the person suffering and the other is sometimes all they need to survive. On the other hand, not having anyone to believe in can make death appear easier than life allowing the person to give up instead of fighting for survival. In The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, Aminata Diallo survives her course through slavery by remembering her family and the friends that she makes. Aminata is taught by her mother, Sira to deliver babies in the villages of her homeland. This skill proves to be very valuable to Aminata as it helps her deliver her friends babies and create a source of income. Aminata’s father taught Aminata to write small words in the dirt when she was small. Throughout the rest of the novel, Aminata carries this love for learning new things to the places that she travels and it inspires her to accept the opportunities given to her to learn how to write, read maps, and perform accounting duties. Early in the novel Aminata meets Chekura and they establish a strong relationship. Eventually they get married but they are separated numerous times after. Aminata continuously remembers and holds onto her times with Chekura amidst all of her troubles. CHILDREN. The only reason why Aminata Diallo does not die during her journey into and out of slavery is because she believes strongly in her parents, husband and children; therefore proving that people survive hardships only when they have relationships in which to believe.
The first text is a column called “Black is being seen in a whole new light” and it was written by the lawyer and columnist Yolanda Young. According to the text the African Americans has gained more acceptances from the American citizens after Barack Obama has become the president of the United States. Furthermore it
African Americans who came to America to live the golden dream have been plagued with racism, discrimination and segregation throughout a long and complicated history of events that took place in the United States dating back to slavery to the civil rights movements. Today, African American history is celebrated annually in the United States during the month of February which is designated Black History Month. This paper will look back into history beginning in the late 1800’s through modern day America and describe specific events where African Americans have endured discrimination, segregation, racism and have progressively gained rights and freedoms by pushing civil rights movement across America.
African American history plays a huge role in history today. From decades of research we can see the process that this culture went through and how they were depressed and deculturalized. In school, we take the time to learn about African American History but, we fail to see the aspects that African Americans had to overcome to be where they are today. We also fail to view life in their shoes and fundamentally understand the hardships and processes that they went through. African Americans were treated so terribly and poor in the last century and, they still are today. As a subordinate race to the American White race, African Americans were not treated equal, fair, human, or right under any circumstances. Being in the subordinate position African Americans are controlled by the higher white group in everything that they do.
In my perspective, I believe that the African American experience was an important piece in history because they were used as slaves because of their race, this tension lived for centuries. In document C it states that “ One of them asked me who I belonged to. I told them no one, so him and two others struck me with a stick
Negro Achievement week was placed in February in order to commemorate the birthdays of two men who helped pave the way for African Americans: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas. Both of these men’s birthdays were already being celebrated in black communities, thus increasing the possibility of success for Negro Achievement Week. But Woodson didn’t want this celebration to just be about these two men; however great, neither one of them single-handedly abolished slavery. Rather, Woodson wanted Negro Achievement to celebrate and appreciate the great accomplishments and history of the whole entire African race. Woodson’s Negro Achievement Week received a lo...
As the years go by we can see the aftermath of what slavery, segregation and racism toward African Americans have done to Blacks. African Americans have suffered many brutal treatment that has affected us physically and mentally and we are still dealing with the repercussion of the many years of oppression. The Declaration of Independence was written hundreds of years ago stating all men are equal but African Americans are still socially and racially unequal to White America. Until now Blacks have been given insufficient credit of the basis of where humanity and civilization started. Throughout our educational history we’ve learned that the Egyptians created Egypt not including the Egyptians were African Americans and we’ve also learned from textbooks the European’s created many inventions, founded many countries and established these intelligent philosopher’s and writers we study from today basically making Europeans the superior race for many Countries but not even mentioning the contributions of African Americans and what they have done and how much they have accomplished for civilization. When we look at film and literature we can dissect and repair the image of African Americans by looking at written evidence, documentaries and movies to see the hidden truth.
Black Press Day, otherwise known as Freedom’s Journal, was the anniversary of the founding of the first black newspaper in the US. It was established the same year that slavery was abolished in New York State. It changed African Americans forever or colored people. Black Press day is Freedom's Journal, the paper that serves to counter racist commentary published in the mainstream press. It also provided its readers with regional, national, and international news and with news that could serve to both entertain and educate.
Black history month is an observance in the United States that is celebrated in the month of February to remember all of the important African Americans in history. This observance is still celebrated annually and brings forth a debatable question such as is there still a need to celebrate black history month. I strongly believe that Black history month still should be celebrated for several reasons one being that children need to know how African Americans contributed to society. Young African American children need to know their ethnicity background. The legendary icons who fought for whom was considered “colored” people need to be acknowledged. If were not for them the children in today's society would still be faced to deal with segregation. They need to have an understanding of what our ancestors and important African Americans had to go through to get us where we are today. We should celebrate black history month because it represents African Americans as a whole. By celebrating this month it shows that we fought for our rights and never gave up. It shows that we went through ...
...e time television depicts Black Americans as people who do not know how to speak proper English, live in the projects and ghettos, and procreate beyond our existence so that all we can do is rob the system and depend on welfare for our sustenance. These depictions are very stereotypical and negative. Martin R. Delany, a renowned Black American who wrote a book that discussed the attributes of a black man said that Black Americans should foster a sense of pride because of our complex and unique history. We need to bind together and “Lift up Every Voice” (Black national hymn) to make sure our past and future histories are not forgotten, not just by us but by every American. The legacy of Black History Month is an achievement we all should be proud of, but for Peace’s Sake do not let others undermine your past and accomplishments and do not forget your own history.
In From Slavery to Freedom (2007), it was said that “the transition from slavery to freedom represents one of the major themes in the history of African Diaspora in the Americas” (para. 1). African American history plays an important role in American history not only because the Civil Rights Movement, but because of the strength and courage of Afro-Americans struggling to live a good life in America. Afro-Americans have been present in this country since the early 1600’s, and have been making history since. We as Americans have studied American history all throughout school, and took one Month out of the year to studied African American history. Of course we learn some things about the important people and events in African American history, but some of the most important things remain untold which will take more than a month to learn about.
The United States rests upon a foundation of freedom, where its citizens can enjoy many civil liberties as the result of decades of colonial struggles. However, African Americans did not achieve freedom concurrently with whites, revealing a contradiction within the “nation of liberty”. It has been stated that "For whites, freedom, no matter how defined, was a given, a birthright to be defended. For African Americans, it was an open-ended process, a transformation of every aspect of their lives and of the society and culture that had sustained slavery in the first place." African Americans gained freedom through the changing economic nature of slavery and historical events like the Haitian Revolution policies, whereas whites received freedom
I strongly believe that “colorblindness” is something that America should strive for. I think that the only reason people are still racist and judgemental is because they are too proud and afraid to accept everyone. However, I do believe we should respect other cultures to the best of our abilities. I believe we should completely get rid of “black history month” because it is an insult to the entire black community. Also on that note, why do we keep bringing up slavery? Have we not evolved? I mean yes, slavery was a very big crime that America, as a whole, committed and luckily, we ended it. I think that we should move on from slavery and stop bringing it up with the whole controversial topic like “should we pay african americans for slavery”.