Some people don’t believe that Black History Month was intended for them to celebrate. They believe that it was an idea conceived by blacks for blacks.
I have fielded questions from close friends such as, “What about a White History Month?” My usual response is that traditionally, European and Anglo-American history has not been disregarded in the history books.
The need to celebrate black contributions in America was highlighted by Carter G. Woodson, the man who envisioned the Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month.
This was because he and many other Americans in the 1920s recognized that our nation’s celebration of black contributions was nearly non-existent. This in turn caused many blacks to wonder what their contributions were and what place they had in American society.
This was especially important considering that the Civil War was a not-so-distant memory for some and because of the rise of racism across America.
In grade school, the most exposure to black history instruction was a class in high school called minority studies. The course detailed the lives of minorities in America, including everyone from blacks to early 1900s European immigrants. This was a good insight into the process of assimilation and the struggles of minorities to be fully accepted in society.
As far back as I can remember, my family actively celebrated the month. The highlight of the month was usually a program much like Mississippi State’s King Day program. The program would bring together people from all backgrounds in Washington County to embrace unity.
As a result of attending this program for about 10 years, I have just about memorized the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” an accomplishment among people who know of it. More importantly, I got to fellowship with my neighbors of all races.
In Mississippi, there is a rich history of black accomplishments. When a lot of people think of achievement, they think of Oprah Winfrey and Jerry Rice.
But after the tumultuous Civil War, Hiram Revels in 1870 and Blanche K. Bruce in 1875 represented our state in the U.S. Senate. John R. Lynch served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, the first black to do so.
In America as a whole, the history is even more intriguing. Thinking of the American Revolution, the name Crispus Attucks comes to mind. He is traditionally considered the first person to be killed in the Revolutionary War. Benjamin Banneker, a mathematician and surveyor, was instrumental in the development of Washington, D.C.
What about George Washington Carver? He developed 300 uses for peanuts and hundreds more uses for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. Some of his synthetic products that he developed are essential today. Some of the synthetic products he developed are adhesives, axle grease, bleach, fuel briquettes, instant coffee, linoleum, mayonnaise, meat tenderizer, metal polish, plastic, pavement, shaving cream, shoe polish, synthetic rubber, talcum powder and wood stain.
In recent decades, such notables as Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Edward Brooke, Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder, Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and many others have made significant contributions in government.
In the business world, billionaires Oprah Winfrey and Robert Johnson have revolutionized the media. At the helm of the AOL/Time Warner media conglomerate is the accomplished Richard Parsons. At CNBC, there is Pamela Thomas-Graham.
The list of accomplished people goes on and on. The problem is that they mean nothing if we all don’t embrace them.
This brings me to the point for writing this opinion article. In this, my last article for a while, I would like for everyone to get one point, if you have never gotten any other point from my articles.
Until we come together as Americans and embrace one another, the need to highlight individual group accomplishments, rather than our accomplishments as Americans, will live on. We will continue to be hyphenated Americans until we accept each other outside the classroom and workplace. We have to interact with each other in our social clubs, churches and other non-traditional forums.
The next time you ask about the need for one America, ask yourself what you have done to achieve that goal.
Edward Sanders is a sophomore political science major. He can be reached at [email protected].