Black History Month

The notion that a specific piece of world history (in this case: Black history) should only take centerstage 28 days out of the year has become more and more absurd to me as I’ve grown up to become an established Black man in America. That in itself is a topic for another day, though.

I wanted to raise a question with my audience — something that’s been bothering me for some time now regarding Black History Month.

Why is it that Black history is widely depicted as beginning with Blacks being enslaved and oppressed when that’s simply not accurate?

Malcolm X said it best: “Our history did not begin in chains.”

He was absolutely right. Black history did not start with slavery and oppression, and it surely won’t end with slavery and oppression.

The problem is for years Black history has been taught from the lens of whites in America. This has led many to believe that Black history started on American soil, but that’s a terrible misconception. Black history dates all the way back to the beginning of African history. There were literally millions of Africans who lived and died before the idea of slavery amongst Blacks even came to be.

Thousands of years before Blacks were enslaved, there were African Kingdoms and Empires.

The some 246 years of American slavery represents a very small percentage of Black history, and that’s not to take away from any of those who lived and fought for the plight of Blacks, during those times.

However, people do need to understand that teaching Black history as if it started with Black people in shackles is very damaging — not just for Blacks but for all people. That falsehood gives the impression that Black people appeared on this earth as inferior beings, and that’s just not true.

Why are white students taught that their ancestors were world travelers, inventors, presidents, educators, artists, etc., but when it comes to Blacks, the teaching always starts with slavery? 

This needs to stop.

Black history dates back to pre-historic South Africa and the early African Kingdoms, which points to the beauty of blackness. It was in Africa that Black leaders made advancements in areas like math, music, language, and science.

That said, yes, Blacks did have to endure centuries of slavery, unfortunately. That’s something Black people will never forget, and rightfully so. It was that brutal reality for people of color that gave birth to Black leaders like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Frances Harper, and Nat Turner.

Then, it was the original civil rights movement that introduced us to profound Black leaders like Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Nelson Mandela.

Now, that brings us to 2018 — an era where the torch is now being carried by brilliant Black leaders like Barack and Michelle Obama, Maxine Waters, John Lewis, Angela Rye, Al Sharpton, Ed Gordon, Van Jones, April Ryan, Oprah Winfrey, Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and so many others who go unnoticed.

Now, there’s some Black history for you — a history that clearly didn’t start with slavery and oppression but instead with Black achievement.