Uncovering Black History

February 5, 2010 • Ashly Fouse Senior Assistant Editor in Chief  
Filed under News

With the first of February came the first day of Black History Month. Though it is celebrated every year, many people do not remember that it is in February. Even more so, they are either unsure how it originated or what it is about.

There is such an expression: "History is written by a white European man", and it is according to this discrediting principle that our socio-cultural discourse has developed. And that is why people of color and women hardly appear in history, because they were greatly oppressed. And that is why we must monitor, study, investigate the gaps that humanity has allowed. Moreover, in our time there is equality in rights, regardless of age, gender, skin color, religion, etc., therefore, all people have the right to study at a university, professional letter writer will help with admission, occupy the same positions, go to all institutions, etc.

Starting in 1926, American’s started celebrating “Negro History Week”. However, at that time there was not a lot of black history yet. One of the reasons that people were so angry was that Negros had up until that point been left out of the history books. To make people aware of the history and stories they did have, a week in February was dedicated. Many say that February was chosen because it is the month in which President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were both born. In 1967, actitivists’ worked to bring the week to a full month and succeeded. Thus every February Americans celebrate the rich history of African Americans.

Many people recognize that the month is dedicated to African Americans but they do not understand why it is there. The month is meant to provide a time for uneducated people to take time to learn how much richer African Americans have made American history. Most people when asked how African Americans have affected America are only able to think of the Civil War. In truth, there is so much more that is owed to them. Many leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, W.E.B. Debois and George Washington Carver gave American things and are still amazing role models for today’s youth.

Since its origins as a week in 1926, Black History Month has set aside a much-needed time for the people of America to learn about African Americans. Unfortunately, it has not received the recognition it deserves and has lost a lot of press that it once had.