National Library Lovers Month????!!! REALLY??!?!?!
This is the second year in a row, that I've seen a calander that recognized February as something other than Black History Month. No mention of it at all. At. All. Of course, I was offended. Highly offended at that. But, I took a minute and thought about it. Why was I upset? Was I doing so much for Black History Month that I had a right to be upset that it was being ignored by someone else? I mean, the last time I remember doing anything to "celebrate" it was in elementary school. In my adult life, all I can remember doing to acknowledge the month is wearing black pride tee's to work. That'll show em. *blink*
So last night, I decided what I WOULD do for Black History Month. I took the four steps from my bedroom door to my book shelf, and took down this book I've had for years.
I found it at RVO a while back (my Rochdale heads know about there lol), but never really got into it. No reason in particular, I was probablly just distracted by something else. Ultimately, I decided I would observe Black History Month by educating myself. I'm going to venture to say every African American of a certain age (at least over 18), raised by even semi aware parents, has a basic understanding (i.e. has at least heard of) of the black experience in the United States.
From slavery, the great migration, Jim Crow and segregation, the Civil Rights era, the Black Power era, crack in the 80s and early 90s, manditory minimum sentencing, etc., etc., the black history of this country is a colorful, complicated, and diverse one. I can't imagine anyone, especially a non historian or non history aficionado, knowing all of any culture's history, let alone one as vast as that of the African American people. I can say, however, that I have been fortunate enough to have been educated in an amazingly beautiful elementary school, where my teachers cared and loved us enough to educate us not only as students, but as human beings. We all knew that no matter how many times we got screamed on, or flicked on the ear, that that teacher did it because she loved us. We knew that the reading assisgnments were given to us because that book had something that we needed to know. Many of these same wonderful educators made it her business to make sure we knew about our black history. I also come from a family that is very aware of its history, and believes in passing its story down. But I digress..... a little. Eh, what's new?
So. I decided to educate myself. I realized I had no right to be upset at someone else disregarding Black History Month, when in effect, I was doing the exact same thing. There is no reason for me to walk around demanding that everyone wish every passing black person a happy Black History Month and resolve to keep the hope alive. The whole point of Black Hisotry Month is to make sure that the hard work, accomplishments, and sacrifices of our ancestors is not forgotten and lost. I could think of no better way to observe Black History Month than to make sure they weren't. I always liked history. Just because I've graduated, doesn't mean I have to stop learning. At this point, I can create my own curriculum, if you will. I can delve into the area's that interest and concern me, focus in on what I don't understand, and find entirely new pieces of information to feed my mind. The internet is an amazing tool, but there's nothing like a good book. So far, I'm loving the narratives in When I Was A Slave. It's been too long since I've picked up a new book, and I can't think of a better reason or time than now.
What's your "favorite" era of black history? What are YOU doing to observe Black History Month?
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