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If it fits into a month, it isn’t history
- By Deric Muhammad
- Published 02/8/2010
- Editorial and Opinion
- Unrated
Deric Muhammad
Deric Muhammad is a Houston-based community activist who blogs at http://www.askbroderic.blogspot.com.
Scientists came up with evidence that a Black woman existed millions of years ago on the continent of Africa. This is as far as they’ve ever gotten in getting down to the bottom of the Black man’s history.
Truth is, everything came from Black people. Our history is so vast that it cannot be encapsulated into one book. Hence the asinine idea of February as Black History Month in America. Black history month was nothing but a pacifier given to us as a people; a feigned attempt at recognition of our past accomplishments and contributions.
Malcolm X said that “just as a tree without roots of dead a people without the knowledge of their history…dead.” Alex Haley spent an enormous amount of his life’s energy retracing and gathering bits and pieces of our history to be passed on to a people lost regarding their origin and history. How important is the history of Black people and who will take the responsibility of teaching our people, particularly our youth, about the legacy of kings and queens overshadowed by tales of Pilgrims, Tea Parties and Civil Wars?
If the public school system only devotes three out of every 3000 pages of its history books to Black history, where can little Black girls and boys go to learn about themselves? How can the public school teacher instruct what he or she has not been taught? It is a job that we as a community must take up.
I am a firm believer that the reason many of our youth join gangs is because they are on a journey to find their identity. The identity of a people is directly tied their history and their present condition as it relates to that history. Because our youth are not taught the sacredness and greatness of Blackness through the history it makes it less difficult to beat, stab and kill another Black brother or sister. The reason that you don’t have a huge problem with Black youth attacking White youth is because Black youth were taught the history of White people at some point and subconsciously respect what they were taught.
Some may accuse me of racism for even mentioning Black history and White history in separate terms. I’m not, but if so, then whoever came up with and observes Black History month must be a racist too. My issue with Black history month is not one that cannot be easily addressed.
I propose that the true scholars of Black history convene a meeting to develop a Black History Curriculum that our children can draw from and build upon. We must develop institutions in our communities that will be dedicated to teaching Black history year round.
One of the reasons that the idea of Black history month is oxymoronic is because “all history is Black history.” The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said that the original man is the maker, owner and the cream of the planet Earth; we are the father of all civilization. Even white history has its root in Black people. Any Black history that they can fit into a month is not Black history at all.
Deric Muhammad is a Houston-based community activist who blogs at www.askbroderic.blogspot.com.
Truth is, everything came from Black people. Our history is so vast that it cannot be encapsulated into one book. Hence the asinine idea of February as Black History Month in America. Black history month was nothing but a pacifier given to us as a people; a feigned attempt at recognition of our past accomplishments and contributions.
Malcolm X said that “just as a tree without roots of dead a people without the knowledge of their history…dead.” Alex Haley spent an enormous amount of his life’s energy retracing and gathering bits and pieces of our history to be passed on to a people lost regarding their origin and history. How important is the history of Black people and who will take the responsibility of teaching our people, particularly our youth, about the legacy of kings and queens overshadowed by tales of Pilgrims, Tea Parties and Civil Wars?
If the public school system only devotes three out of every 3000 pages of its history books to Black history, where can little Black girls and boys go to learn about themselves? How can the public school teacher instruct what he or she has not been taught? It is a job that we as a community must take up.
I am a firm believer that the reason many of our youth join gangs is because they are on a journey to find their identity. The identity of a people is directly tied their history and their present condition as it relates to that history. Because our youth are not taught the sacredness and greatness of Blackness through the history it makes it less difficult to beat, stab and kill another Black brother or sister. The reason that you don’t have a huge problem with Black youth attacking White youth is because Black youth were taught the history of White people at some point and subconsciously respect what they were taught.
Some may accuse me of racism for even mentioning Black history and White history in separate terms. I’m not, but if so, then whoever came up with and observes Black History month must be a racist too. My issue with Black history month is not one that cannot be easily addressed.
I propose that the true scholars of Black history convene a meeting to develop a Black History Curriculum that our children can draw from and build upon. We must develop institutions in our communities that will be dedicated to teaching Black history year round.
One of the reasons that the idea of Black history month is oxymoronic is because “all history is Black history.” The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said that the original man is the maker, owner and the cream of the planet Earth; we are the father of all civilization. Even white history has its root in Black people. Any Black history that they can fit into a month is not Black history at all.
Deric Muhammad is a Houston-based community activist who blogs at www.askbroderic.blogspot.com.