White people are just as sick of black history month as black people are, for the same reasons. You see, to a black person, black history month is full of what white people done to black people. To a white person, it’s the same — it’s white people doing things to black people. So, in knowing that, wouldn’t Black History Month be a brutally, radically honest element of white history?
via Is Black History Month Really Just a Brutally Honest White History Month? — AfroSapiophile
black|burgundy 
Great post Sistah. I remember last year I said that America uses essential 5 Black prominent figures as easy answers. 1. Dr King. 2. Rosa Parks. 3. Oprah. 4. Michael Jordan. 5. Michael Jackson/Beyonce. It’s sad because I’m the one that’s always like “Uhhh so Huey P. Newton anybody? Marcus Garvey?” Those 5 figures are usually the EASY way to icebreak racial topics due to their inclusiveness within the dominant society. Kind of a scapegoat if you will.
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I agree. Very good point Tareau.
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Definitely, Tareau! I’d add Oprah as well. These people are easy because they’re not only visible but their stories are “safe”. But many of the powerful, game changing Black historians go overlooked. I’m still learning of some that I’ve never heard of in my LIFE! Not a peep.
Thanks for tuning in! You make a great point.
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Black History month exposes white guilt and I love it. The figures that get brought up during black history month are usually icons of “black exceptionalism”, or the anomalies who broke through the cracks to become successful. These luminaries are lauded as an example of what all blacks can become if we work hard enough and “go along to get along”. This is the reason you have many Trump supporting bigots thumping the “Up from Slavery” book around, praising Booker T. Washington. Great re-blog, I am now following this gentleman.
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Very true, Eddie!
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Hmm very interesting post. I want to say I see it differently; I want to say I see it as us blacks, celebrating what we have overcome but then again, we wouldn’t have anything to celebrate if white people treated us the same from the start. In a way, it all comes back to white people doing things to black people. Great post.
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Thanks for your feedback, Sarah. We definitely have plenty to celebrate that was accomplished before whites even existed and before our ancestors even encountered them. But it seems that the stories and historians that receive glorified recognition year after year are the ones who overcame adversities due to white people/racism. And we have to think about who “allowed” a Black History Month to even become a thing. With such a big, rich history, we have so much to learn outside of 28 or 29 days. So much of our past has nothing to do with white people and I think that is partially what the writer was attempting to convey.
Thanks again for tuning in.
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It’s no wonder they gave it the shortest month of the year.
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That too..
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Its kind of crazy, because at a young age I remember questioning why are we only learning about the same people over and over again. Great post
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That’s what I’m saying! Thanks for tuning in and your spot on comment!
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The fact that ‘black history month’ exists is yet another form of racism in itself.
Racism is – SYSTEMATIC OPPRESSION.
The Uk and US sat down and said, what can we do to make it look like we celebrate other cultures? Let’s talk about the history of these people but we need to keep control of it because we don’t want it to get out of hand because if black people start to figure out how great they are then we ‘the white man’ may be over ruled. So let’s allocate them 1 month out of year so people think we care when in actual fact we’re still steering the ship.
You guys in the US got the raw end of the deal on top of that, given that it’s celebrated in February….the shortest month of the year. At least we (UK) get a full 31 days in October
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You’re spot on, sis! Our history was full and rich before they tainted our existence. And it stretches far beyond what can be learnt or taught in 28 or 31 days.
Thanks so much for reading and your insightful response.
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Black history month is a front….all it does is facilitate division by making younger generations conscious of the idea that black people are different. Why not have a white history month if we’re all living in “harmony”?
Worse off, its a month…its a subtle way of pacifying black people who are unaware and think the whole thing is for our benefit…The third eye always has to stay open when dealing with matters of this world.
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True story. Every race or ethnic group should have a month if we’re living in harmony. BHM shouldn’t exist in a “post-racial America, right?
Thanks for your honest take, Dante.
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Thank you for this! We don’t celebrate Asian Month or how about Refugee Month? In fact, at least in my town, we do a lot of divisional celebrations: Lebanese Festival, Italian Festival, Greek Festival, etc. When I moved here (Buffalo NY) I was shocked by the neighborhood divisions. It’s getting more integrated for sure but still, I simply don’t understand how, in this day and age, people can still be racist, bigots, etc. It’s appalling. We are all humans on this one planet. I seem to be in the minority with my thinking though.
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You’re so welcome.
I don’t know if the events are intended to be divisive, but I see how they can be. It could be a learning opportunity for the non-Lebanese or non-Greek, but I’m thinking many of us wouldn’t even consider attending. But we’ll go to Rome and..
Why is that?
As for the segregated neighborhoods, I think some people live where they are comfortable, ofttimes amongst people that look like them. Sometimes it’s not by choice but by plan.
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Being black British and being a black American are just very different experiences I think. I often wonder what it would be like to have been born in American society as a black woman. I do agree with your statement here that as a collective, people just don’t like black history month anymore. I imagine it used to be like recognition of black peoples existence but now… it kind of feels insulting. Right?
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It’s a bit of a pacifier. Like look, we’re celebrating you so be quiet.
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Agreed!!! – but what we are taught as “Black history” in itself is not a holistic representation of our history. Rather slavery is often cited as if that was the only substantive factor that demarcated our position in the past. However, black history extends far beyond slavery and the figures that are perennially quoted as the bastions of change within society.
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Exactly! But we’re taught one thing and it’s the gospel according to every high school history class. We must remain diligent in uncovering and telling our own histories.
Thank you for your spot on comment!
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