In Praise of Black History Month
by Carolle Nau
America has meaning because it is a collection of a diverse group of
people. Resorting to polarizing ideals is inappropriate given the
infancy of the Black History efforts - less than 100 years in the face
of a 350 year history of enslaved Black People.
Today the condition of Black America continues to be characterized by
gaps and huge chasms, and on this we must focus unfailingly. Let
us not forget this. Let us not become distracted by short-term
revisions of what COULD be.
We, as a People, remain committed to those qualities that will take us,
all of us, to a better life, not just in Black America, but in the
nation as a whole: perseverance, courage and vision.
Image: Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Courtesy: The Library, UC San Diego
All of us bore the labor pains of freedom, independence and inalienable
rights that sparked the American revolution. Then Black People suffered
the governmental oversight of 350 years of under recognized
contributions - contributions that served as building blocks of
the nation that we are today.
We must stay the course of seeking to balance America’s scales of
justice. Why not a milestone of 350 yrs of celebrating Black History?
Maybe then we can have a discussion about relevancy. Or better
still, maybe we will recognize Black History as one of the founding
pillars of our great nation. That’s what makes the American story so
unique.
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