Black History Month

They won’t get it. They’re too stupid and too stubborn and too quick to play the poor victimized white men afraid of a coffee cup card.

 

I'm honestly perplexed where the whole notion of "1 month of black history, 11 months of white history" came from. I've never heard of it so I thought I'd ask. I've never heard of such a thing.

*Raises hand*

I studied quite a bit of African history in my honors social studies class back in high school. We took a short glimpse over Monsa Musa and the Malian empire. And each of the students had to do a term report on an African country that was assigned to us. I got stuck with Malawi. I would've been more interesting to have done Tanzania, Liberia, Madagascar, Kenya, Mali, or Egypt.

But yes, I do see how European history is paid more attention to in western schools, and society. That being said, I'm in favor of putting more worldy stuff into public school systems. I'm sure more people would be interested in world history if Netflix made a series about Monsa Musa, or even Asian history like Gengis Khan, like they did for Rome and Julius Cesar.

 

I beg to differ

 

No reason is also a possibility.

The loss of pigmentation resulting in blue green eye color - no natural selection type reason needs to have happened for it to have happened.

The sometimes shit just happens for no reason hypothesis

 

When Black History Month made its first appearance back in the "70s, the idea was, as President Ford put it: " to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history".I think that's a worthy aim even if it's largely symbolic. I have the impression that the particulars vary quite a bit from one part of the country to another. The schools are largely controlled by state and local boards which are sometimes pretty political and ideological. Six-eyed is lucky to have had a "glimpse" of Mansa Musa and the opportunity to write a term paper on an African country in his honors social studies class, even if it was Mali. That's not much, but its something and probably more than most students elsewhere in the United States learn--even in honors classes. So I think it may be an exaggeration to say we're devoting a whole month to the study of black history. In some schools, that may be happening but I'm not sure that's typical. I know a bit of African history, but not as much as I should about African-Americans in the United States. Still, every little bit helps.

It isn't just Blacks. Other groups or causes honored by special months by presidential proclamation include: List of observances in the United States by presidential proclamation - Wikipedia :

• January: National Mentoring Month
• January: Stalking Awareness Month
• January: Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
• February: American Heart Month
• February: Black History Month
• March: American Red Cross Month
• March: Women's History Month
• March: Irish-American Heritage Month
• April: Cancer Control Month
• April: National Donate Life Month
• April: National Child Abuse Prevention Month
• April: National Sexual Assault Awareness Month
• April: National Financial Literacy Month
• May: Older Americans Month
• May: Jewish American Heritage Month[22]
• May: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month[23]
• May: Mental Health Awareness Month
• May: National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
• May: National Foster Care Month
• June: Gay and Lesbian Pride Month
• June: Caribbean-American Heritage Month [24][25][26]
• June: Great Outdoors Month
• June: National Oceans Month
• June: African-American Music Appreciation Month
• July: National Ice Cream Month
• September: Childhood Cancer Awareness
• September: National Sickle Cell Awareness Month[27]
• September: National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
• September: National Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
• September: National Wilderness Month
• September: National Preparedness Month
• September: National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month [28]
• September: Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
• September 15 – October 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month[29]
• October: National Information Literacy Awareness Month[30]
• October: Italian American Heritage and Culture Month [31]
• October: Country Music Month
• October: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• October: National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
• October: National Arts & Humanities Month
• October: National Disability Employment Awareness Month
• October: National Cyber Security Awareness Month
• October: National Energy Awareness Month
• November: National Entrepreneurship Month [32]
• November: Military Family Month
• November: National Bone Marrow Donor Awareness Month
• November: National Hospice Month
• November: National Adoption Month
• November: National Family Caregivers Month
• November: National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
• November: National Diabetes Month
• November: National American Indian Heritage Month
• December: National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
• December: National Critical Infrastructure Protection Month

 

6-eyed: you're really tiring. GeorgeJetStoned explained well, you like his post, I expect because you acknowledge the logic: just because there's 1 month of black history doesn't mean the other months its 'white history'. Not even Kerri, who used the words white history to explain something, sees it like that. Everybody here realizes that, I assume even you. So you're arguing a mute point. Rhetoric nonsense. Go play with yourself

 

That's good. I don't think I was ever taught anything about African history in school, except when studying Early Civilization but that was mostly just Egypt.

We did study prominent black American historical figures in school, but they usually only came up during black history month, go figure

 

Actually I'm kind of surprised I wasn't derided for playing the "white victimhood card" on that one.

 

As the dutch had an impact on 'african history' (ridicilously broad subject of course, unless somewhat specified) our history classes touched on some parts of it.
If I look at it continent wise the most neglected parts of the world in our history classes are actually Australia and to slightly lesser extent most of Asia, Africa and South America. There's a logical reason for it of course. If one decides later to focus on history classes everything becomes more available. But there's a limited amount of history you can bestow on highschool students: so its focussed on stuff that impacted our history, society and worldview so kids know the how and why of it.
That's why for example when they arrive on the subject of modern history dutch kids learn more about Canada's part in WW2 than how Rhodesia became Zimbabwe or the MPLA

 

Its clearly a sincere post without any bullshitting.

 

It's called Black Achievement Month.and is celebrated in October. It was launched in 2016. NiNsee launches Black Achievement Month
It's co-sponsored by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, the City of Amsterdam, the Mondriaan Fund and the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts.
Welcome to the club!

 

The Common Core Curriculum About the Standards | Common Core State Standards Initiative has been adopted by many states because they feel the need for consistent learning across the states.

The these standards establish what students need to learn, but do not dictate how teachers should teach.

I've found one blurb, under Voluntary National Education Standards for the Major Subject Areas.
It's for grades 5-12:

• Understands how the values and institutions of European economic life took root in the colonies, and how slavery reshaped European and African life in the Americas. U.S. History 5-12 | Education World

I don't see any evidence or mention of the List of observances in the United States by presidential proclamation you cited.

 

Not quite sure what you're saying here. The Common Core is, of course, a separate issue from Black History month. It was adopted by 45 states, and then repealed by three, including mine.Common Core Repeal, The Day After States that don't want no stinkin' federal pinko liberal Satanists tellin' them what to teach the kids. The parts that you include on Africans in America, seem worthy but minimal.

As for the list of observances I mentioned, that has nothing to do with educational curricula. These are just honorific designations comparable to "Take Your Daughter to Work" day, which can provide a basis for groups, schools and teachers to organize classroom lessons or events around...or not. Because of the size and particular history of the African-American community in the United States, and the perceived neglect of its achievements, it tends to get a lot more attention than Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Filipino American History Month, Irish-American Heritage Month, etc., which may get some attention in parts of the country where those ethnic groups are sizeable. Public colleges and universities that ignored Black History Month would risk opening up a hornet's nest they might think twice about. Bad PR.

 

I was going to point this out, but I figured, what's the point? Anyone who has their feathers ruffled by Black History Month would be against all of these, so why bother? Haters gon' hate.

That being said, I'm glad you pointed this out. As I said in my original post, I wish all of these were as heavily promoted and embraced as Black History Month is.

 

My post was just an observation.

 

Black people are a minority in America. Statistically that means they are less likely to be in any type of job. So when I see them complane about things like a lack of representation in Hollywood I wonder. I kind of see their point but the numbers are just not in your favor so sometimes black actors seem forced to me. I can see that tying into black history month for some people. Like why do they need this?

But it's the shortest month and as others have said history is white history otherwise. In school the only black history I got was slavery. Literally no discussion ever on African history or any black person of importance but Harriet Tubman and George Washington Carver and I only know him because of peanut butter. His only fact but every February he was the black inventor highlighted.

 

The thing is, just because there’s one month of black history. People assume there has to be 11 months of white history.

This kind of black and white thinking is much worse than the kind Balbus accuses me of having LOL

 

Hmmm that’s too many months and events to memorize and keep track of.

I can see your point. But Who the hell is going to remember December as “National Critical Infrastructure Month,” let alone celebrate it?

Sounds like a greeting card store like Hallmark, innovating new holidays to sell more greeting cards.

 

Well to he fair, you studying black history in the month of February gives purpose to black history month. One way of looking at it is that if you study black history too extensively in all the other months, February loses its significance.

The most African history I studied in high school was that one quarter during my honors social studies class. And I can agree with you that every public school student deserves at least one quarter of African studies.

Also, I just wanna throw it out there that Africa isn’t the black continent that people think it is. Northern Sahara countries are predominantly brown. Sub Saharan countries are predominantly black.

 

We've come a long ways.....