Black History Month Essay

Since 1976 coloured floor calendar month has been a remembrance of the events in the history of the African American movement. It is celebrated annu every toldy in the joined States and Canada in the month of February, and the United Kingdom in the month of October. In the U.S., Black register month is also referred to as African-American History calendar month. Black History Month actually started as Negro History Week in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. The goal of Black History Week was to educate the American slew about(predicate) African-Americans cultural backgrounds and reputable achievements. Mr. Woodson believed that black history was a lacking(p) segment in the minds of most American Historians of his sidereal day. Black History Month has certainly played a key role in establishing African American history as a historically significant segment of American History. You may be thinking to yourself, it is no longer a missing segment in the minds of most Americans, so there fore it is non germane(predicate) by todays standards.Nothing could be pull ahead from the truth, than that uneducated line of thinking. African American history IS American History I cannot argue that over a number of years it has decease a much than commercialized month, giving the opportunity to advertise and sell, more companies have used it for m onenesstary gain. However, so has Christmas and Thanksgiving and dont get me started about Valentines Day..but there is be quiet a reason we continue to celebrate these Holiold age.I believe it is because at theyre encumbrance they are good-tempered a go of American history and tradition. instanter they may have started elsewhere, but we have made them a part of our culture, our American culture. redden with the creation of black Friday and the 24 hours a day 7 days a week for 30 straight days of Christmas music on a popular radio station.we still have intercourse it is Copernican to gather with family, tell our sons, dau ghters, grand youngsterren and great grandchildren of Christmases past, teach them about important people in our family history both living and deceased. It is important to educate our youth and give proper respect to the people (family members) that had they not done what they did, some of our families may not be here today. They sacrificed and coat the way for everyone to be together on these holidays. That sense of family, tradition and preen in being an American is what Black History month is all about. Americans whom just so happen to be of African descent.Americans who gave up numerous if not all of their holidays so that theyre children and grandchildren would not have to. Black History Month tells the continuing story of American history from the African American perspective. Ill give you a couple of reasons why it is so relevant for todays generation and future generations. We all greet the stories of many great African American contributors Fredrick Douglass, Martin Lu ther King Jr. George chapiter Carver etc but, what about all of the non-African Americans who directly contributed to the abolishment of slavery, the education of an spotless generation of displaced people. Those that gave their lives in the name of humanity. Who will speak for those American heroes?why are they not mentioned in the same breath as Araminta Ross break away known as Harriett Tubman? You ask why is Black Histoy Month relevant.It is relevant because we have barely scratched the surface towards recognizing, learning, teaching and understanding the true signification of this American tradition. I thought about naming some of the non-African American contributors for those gathered here today, but then it occurred to me (I dont subscribe to to) part of my purpose was to plant a seed, contribute to intelligent dialogue. I stated I would give you a couple of reasons..The second one is this..In our classrooms we still teach Greek mythology, we teach about the Great roman type empires, We teach American Indian history, we teach about Eli Whitneys like gin, Thomas Edisons light bulb and many many more historically important people and inventions. Yet these groups of people and inventions are no longer with us in the same capacity as they at a time were. And some of their ideas and inventions seem like they could have been created by a child by todays standards. We teach about them because they are allin one way or another connected to the instruction of the same raceThe HUMAN Race When you fill out an lotion for employment, school or the census, youre asked to check a niche White, African American, Hispanic American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander (maybe a few others) and then there is a box marked OTHER..Even with the diversity America has, who checks that box? Anyone mixed with two or more races? Anyone whose family history starts at Ellis Island? What if I told you OTHER is the fastest growing nation in the world? What if in 25 years OTHER is the rule population? I tell you this because I want you to think 50, 100, or 500 years from now when the OTHERS are the dominant race, how will they know of the contributions of African Americans? How will they know of the contributions of Irish Americans? Polish Americans? Jewish Americans? Philippine Americans? Asian Americans? American Indians? They will know because hopefully they will still be celebrating Irish American month in March, Filipino American Month in October, Hispanic Heritage month from Sep 15 to Oct 15, Jewish American Month in May and African American Month in FebruaryThat is how they will know Because no matter what box you check no matter what race creed or semblance you descend from, the key descriptor is that of being an American.