A History Lesson on the Importance of Black History Month

 I saw a very disturbing meme that clearly was a reference to Black History month. I have known about the frustration surrounding Black History month before but this was especially stunning, so since I have these type conversation in a Social Studies classroom I thought it might be good for a post. It would be so nice for adults to be able to handle things as responsible as middle school students can. 

So why do we have Black History month? Doesn't it seem counter-intuitive in efforts for a new-age inclusive era to single out accomplishments of a particular group?  

The simple answer that middle-schoolers understand is that most of the rest of History is about white guys so this is an attempt to share the stories of others. I encourage my students to always question the story...Were the Persians really that bad? Were the Athenians really about "democracy" the way we think of it? Does History repeat itself? Was the Black Death actually good or bad for Europe? As my own daughter asked when reading Jefferson's Sons...how did the guy who wrote the Declaration of Independence own slaves? 

As patriotic Americans and lovers of History, we know and celebrate the story of George Washington's integrity, Abraham Lincoln's moral compass in the face of grueling conditions, the brilliance of Thomas Jefferson, the enduring words of James Madison, the honor of Robert E Lee, the leadership of FDR, the undaunted courage of Meriwether Lewis, Henry Clay's compromises, trailblazers like Davey Crockett and Neil Armstrong, the inventions of Eli Whitney and Thomas Edison, the sacrifices of men at D-Day. The legends of Babe Ruth and the music of Elvis tell the story of our culture and hobbies.  Stories and legends are powerful...stories symbolize hope and pride, renewing our patriotism and sense of self and community. 

As a teacher and mother, a lover of History, a citizen and a human being, I believe that Black History threads the tapestry of the American story. In response to the meme above... Black History is not about "blaming white people," rather about celebrating the stories of the American spirit, and showcasing how it is not just white guys who embody what makes America great. It is not about white people, but it is NOT not about white people. 

God did not burden the United States with a diversity of backgrounds, ideas and religions, He blessed America with them. -Emanuel Cleaver

So to shed some light on some stories that come to mind of Black History. . .

Black History features the commitment to education in the stories of Frederick Douglass, WEB DuBois and Booker T Washington. 

The undaunted courage of Harriet Tubman's Underground Railroad highlight how black and white people worked together to secure freedom before our country made slavery illegal. 

The Tuskegee airmen, while not allowed to sit at public places with whites, embody a sense of purpose in patriotic service in the Army Air Corps. 

The WEB  Dubois-Booker T Washington and Malcom X-MLK debates provide interesting intellectual discussion for paths to progress. 

The poems of Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou and the songs of Mahalia Jackson reveal the power of art. The uplifting tale of Jackie Robinson and the athleticism of Michael Jordan and Satchel Paige entertain us. WC Handy and BB King represent a distinct American culture we can all be proud of. 
  
The bravery of Rosa Parks, who was just too tired to get up, found her fight in staying seated.  The commitment of the Montgomery Bus Boycotters inspires us to know that sometimes we have to sacrifice and stick together for the right cause. 

The mission of Neil Armstrong was supported by black women mathematicians, as  highlighted in the film "Hidden Figures."

The integrity of civil rights leaders like John Lewis and Andrew Young demonstrate how struggling for change and justice doesn't have to leave one bitter. 

The image of Ruby Bridges, a 6-year-old little girl who was spat at before going to school, gives us cause to celebrate how far we have come as a country.  The stories of her stopping daily to pray for the enemies of de-segregation remind me not to forget it all in the past. 

The enduring words of Martin Luther King, inspired by his Southern Christian roots and by Ghandi, still give me chills.  Last month, my students compared his speech to Shakespeare's Henry V, and a students said, "this is full of figurative language...I love it." Another student said, "there are allusions to the Bible in this speech."  

I love the MLK memorial in Washington,  DC because it overlooks the Jefferson monument. . . .standing as a visual metaphor that it took us a long time to live up the ideals of inalienable rights. But I don't despair that it took a long time, I am filled with hope that it can be done.  That hope is why I teach, that hope is why I love History and that hope is why I believe in the power of sharing stories.  

Children need to see themselves in the leaders of History. Students need to see good in others in our shared American story. Diversity can be celebrated.   In today's political climate of divisiveness, we have the lost the ability to see the goodness,  patriotism, and  valor of others.  

I have hope that one day we won't need a Black History month. . . .But we aren't there yet.  So in the meantime, we should add to our story the tales of a people who embody the American story. Are there horrific stories of black people? Absolutely. Are there horrific stories of whites? Absolutely. The Persians weren't all bad and the Greeks weren't all good. 

But I believe it is good to tell the stories that give us hope and make us proud, to include the stories that tell a beautiful truth in the possibility of who we are as a people, as individuals and a community.  There is an ugly truth in all of human history,  of war and oppression, of crime and injustice. But my goodness, there are beautiful truths in there as well. . .of courage, integrity, art, sports, music, wisdom, faith and love. The stories of the American dream come in all shades, and I believe it couldn't hurt for the faces of those stories to also come in all colors.