Established in 1976, Black History Month is recognized in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, among other nations. It is intended to celebrate the contributions blacks in the societies in which they live. In our case, it is the role that African-Americans have played – and continue to play – in American history and life.There are always the obvious famous African-Americans to focus on during this time: Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and others. I have chosen to focus this year on the contributions of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. I hope you enjoyed the film that we watched in class, and I hope it made you think beyond the “obvious” African-Americans that we usually focus on during celebrations like this.
Use your comments here to express your ideas about the importance of Black History Month. Is it necessary to have a month dedicated to the contributions of black Americans? What about other months like this – Hispanic Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, and other such celebrations? Who are some of the African-Americans that you think best represent the meaning of this month?I want to hear what you think and feel. If you disagree with what someone writes, you should comment on it but you MUST remain respectful. I will not tolerate any personal attacks, rude, or inappropriate comments. Most importantly – HAVE FUN!!
Here are some links that may help you think through this topic:
History Channel – http://www.history.com/minisites/blackhistory/
The Official Website of Jackie Robinson - http://www.jackierobinson.com/
Or search Google
21 comments:
I guess I'm the 1st to blog, soooo...
Black History Month is important because it helps us learn about African-American people and cultures that we otherwise probably would never know. It should be a month because there is so much to learn and Black history is not taught as much in regular history. Some of the African-Americans I think represent the meaning of this month well are Jackie Robinson, Ida B. Wells, Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver, C.J. Steele, MLK, and many others. I think that having months for different cultures’ heritage and history is a good idea because it helps people realize that all races, cultures, and ethnicities that have been put down and/or discriminated against in the past are equal in importance (even though not all groups are represented).
I agree with Leni.
But I also think that Black History Month isn't just celebrating African Americans, it's celebrating a group of people who stood up against injustice and helped to change America. So, therefore, I think it is very important to celebrate Black History Month so that we can learn more about how these courageous people stood up and made a difference.
I also think it's important to take time this month to really think about what it would be like in another person's shoes. How would it feel like to be living sixty years ago and dealing with segregation? How would it feel to not be able to be friends with someone, because they were different from you? Or how would it feel to be someone with a skin color different from your own, right now?
I think it is really, really important to do these things. I know that I want to try to think about how it would feel to be different from the way I am now. It would give me a better understanding of not only how much difference there is, but also how many similarities there are. Seeing how even though we may be very different--whether it is skin color, religion, etc.--we also are all the same, is probably most important of all.
I think black history month is important for the U.S to celebrate cause it teaches us who took a stand against slavery and segregation. It also helps us learn about other cultures. Some people that are noticed about in this month are Rosa Parks, MLK, GWC, and many other amazing people. It helps us remember that we should not descriminate against others for there color,culture, and heritage.
I think it is very important to have the black history month and its celebrations. Somtimes we forget about how the colored people were treated just over the last 50 years have we really become equal. But I think we really need to celebrate those great people that rose up even during such a hard time for blacks. I most deffinitly agree with Kaitlin when sh e said that black history month is not just about the black people but what those people stood up for that changed the lives of so many others. I don't think we should ever forget about the great people that helped shape our country. We should make sure to always remember them not just during black history month but all the time.
Black history month is a great time to celebrate all the great african americans who helped shape america into the great place it is now. First off Jackie Robinson, were do start off? he was the first black man to play in the major league. thats huge!especially the part that never lost his temper after all the things he has been through. Rosa parks a black woman famous for not giving up her seat to a white man she made us all see how silly of a crime she was being punished for. Man I wish I were as brave as Rosa parks sometimes. martin luther king jr. we all know MLK. why? because he was the most influencial man to lead the black men and woman. He helped so many people believe that someday they would get through segregation. all of these people have helped us so much and help america turn into a non-segregated country. black history month is one the best times of the year to celebrate all these people. It will be clebrated for the rest the of our lives and even longer
,GAGE WILLEE
that was me ....Gage wezt
I think that Black History is important, but I think its kind of weird to celebrate it for a whole month. I think Black History day or Black History week would be more suiting.
And why isn't there Hispanic, English, or Asian History celebration?
I think the whole BHM is focused on Martin Luther King Jr, but it is important to recognize other Blacks that effected us. But mostly we tend to celebrate the first Blacks to accomplish certain goals
Good job so far C period. Keep up the good work. Leni and Kaitlin got us off to a strong start, and Chadler raises some good questions. Anyone want to take a stab at them?
I do not agree with Chandler. We should have a whole month dedicated to African-Americans because of what we have gone through.Hundreds of years of slavery,and mistreatment just for being the opposite color of someone.Skin color does not give you the right to think that you are better than someone. I think that is silly. Our history has been denied of truth,and covered up. That is sad to know that america has had a history of that nonsense.But getting back to the topic. Black history month has much much more than just MLK speaking the "I have a dream speach". Its also about African-Americans Breaking barriers of racism and segregation. Its not just about MLK. If you think that then you must not be reading up on Black History.
Black history month in my opinion is important because it helps us to realize the impressions blacks have made on the world. I do agree with jordon when she says that it also helps us learn about cultures. Black history month is impotant because unlike MLK day, which is dedicated to primarily one person, BHM recognizes many blacks who have impacted our world. I partially agree with Chandler, on how black history month should be black history week, but I disagree with chandler about how the month is only foucused on MLK. The month is dedicated to people like Rosa park and Harriet Tubman, that's why MLK has his own day.
I think black history month is made to big of a deal. Other month's like Hispanic Heratage month and Women's history month should be more recognized. Like leni said black history isn't taught much in regular history but I don't see any thing on HHM or Women's history month. African American that best represent the month are black that were in the civil rights movement.
sorry to burst your bubble Chandler, but there is a Hispanic Heritage month. Also, if you feel so strongly about months for other cultures, why don't you write a letter or something to the president or the senate stating your idea for other months?
Also, I think it is important to dedicate a whole month to Black History because think about it: on MLK day or Presidents Day, do you ever really take time and think about the people we're honoring?Sometimes we might if a teacher does a lesson on it, but other than that we usually don't take time and think about it. By giving Black History a whole month, it stops and makes people think "Wow,there is a whole month dedicated to black history, it must be important." That might make some people want to find out more about why black history is an important part of American History. Also, by giving a month to dedicate to black americans and their successes, it gives people a longer amount of time to really learn about these people. If you only had a day to learn about something and you were busy or doing other things, it would be hard to take time to really learn about that thing. But if you have a whole month, it gives you a longer time to find out little bits and pieces and put them all together to learn a lot and appreciate a lot more.
I think black history month is a good time to celebrate all the black people who stood up for desegragation. And for all the contributions that all the black people gave to this country which was recently overlooked by most history books. And for the people like MLK and Jakie R. that even though we treated them like dirt they still strived for what was right. That should be what black history month is all about the people still wanting a better country, and they fought peacefully for it.
Well black history month is more than a month, it is a major celebration.
Black history monthe means a lot to me.
What was meant to be a celebration of the contributions of Blacks and their history to U.S. society has become a ritual that tries to relegates it all to one month.
There is no way that the entire history of blacks and their contributions to the U.S. can be fully discussed in 28 days.
Unfortunately, U.S. society tries to do so on a yearly basis.
There's more to black history than George Washington Carver discovering ways to use peanuts, Martin Luther King Jr. having a dream and Abraham Lincoln supposedly freeing the slaves.
More education about black history needs to be taught at the K-12 levels.
Teachers must take it upon themselves to incorporate it into their curriculum. The publishers and writers of history books should be pressured into assimilating the culture and history of all ethnicities and races into the textbooks.
But this shouldn't be exclusive to just blacks. No matter the race and ethnicities, we all have experienced discrimination and mistreatment in some form or fashion.
All of the races and ethnicities that make the U.S. have contributed to this country's founding and deserve for their history to be discussed throughout the entire year.
Even at the community college level, more can be done to make this possible.
Though there are classes that include some form of black history such as History 201, which touches on slavery in the colonial era and Humanities 108 (Black Images in Pop Culture), there is another level on which the history can be taught.
A class that talks about the many cultures and their contributions to U.S. history can be incorporated. Maybe the class can be named "U.S. Multicultural History 101."
It may seem idealistic, but it can happen if enough people of all races and ethnicities demand that the stories and history of their people are told.
Black history is perpetual and it should not start or end when February does. Every month should be Black History Month.
Every day we as a society need to celebrate and recognize the contributions and cultures of the many different races and ethnicities.
I think that black history month is a very important holiday. It celebrates the freedom that the black won after many years of slavery (even though it was only because they were a different skin color than the other half of the people. It also celebrates the way people of America will fight for there freedom. But most importantly, we wouldn’t be where we are today without some of the very important black people like; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. probably one of the most well known fighter because of his style,
I believe what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said when he spoke out about his dream and said that all men (and women) are to be judged by the content of there character, rather than the color of there skin.
wow. lots of ideas.
the impact made by many blacks and their turnaround in society is monumental in out history. in black history month, we try to focus on this concept. there is the controversy of Why no white American history month? some americans are rather put out that there isn't, because look at all the things whites have dont for america too!
i think having a black history month is fitting and quite okay. i agree with leni and whoever else who said that we need to have more culture months. like kaitlin said, there's also the hispanic heritage month. black history month helps us think about, if only for a moment, how it was for african americans way back when. its hard and almost impossible to imagine being put to work in a hot field and beaten simply because the color of your skin was dark. to imagine not being allowed to drink out of the same water fountain as a "white" becuase your skin was dark. to imagine YOU had to give up YOUR seat just so someone with light skin could sit down because your skin was dark. who cares if you're tired? i am sure that was what was going through Rosa Park's mind when she told that bus driver she wasnt going to get up from her seat. she was tired and she had just as much right to sit down as anybody else.
black history month celebrates the accomplishments of blacks throughout history. we should celebrate respectively.
I do think Black history month is important because it shows you that if someone tells you that you can't do something just because your different like with Jackie Robinson it doesn't mean that you can't. It doesn't matter what color you are, what you believe in, or how you live every one can do something special. If we didn't have people like MLK or Rosa Parks our country would be a disaster. We wouldn't have nice friends, mixed schools, or some of the technology we have today. I'm so glad that segregation has passed. One of the biggest leaders is MLK and he was right when he said to all of those people during his speeches that they would all be free some day. People like him shaped the U.S. and gave it like. So if it wasn't for African-Americans we would have a terrible America.
Corey Hourigan
First off, who is Peed Masta T? Im sorry, I was just a little confuzed. Black History Month is VERY important because yes, it does help us learn about african americans but it also is a time to appreciate the things that black people have done to help the world. For example, Jackie Robinson, the first black to play on an MLB team, help started intergration. Intergration is when blacks and whites are together in a place such as a school or office building. I think that it should be a month because we do need to take some time to appreciate the things that blacks have accomplished. I do agree with Chandler though. We do mostly focus this on MLK Jr. Some people don't realize that some other people do great things to make living easier. Like George Washington Carver. Did you know he came up with a method of crop rotation that helped revolutionize the southern agriculture? Even though african americans did things of major importance, I agree with Tiffany and Chandler and Leni because we need to celebrate the other races. I mean we can't celebrate them all because there aren't enough months in a year but we need to celebrate the major ethnicities. Such as white, mexican, chinese and so on. But I just want to say that I am really proud of everyone that did the blog. I agree with most of you. Some people not so much. But good job :]
I agree with Chandler because a whole month is too long. Also they need a (not that I'm raciest) hispanic, Asian and even a white history month or week or day or something. Not just blacks. I do honor all that helped make this period of time worth of celebrating it though.
Tyler, I agree with you 100%! A month is a little long. A day is enough.
And I don't mean to contradict my previous comment.
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