February is Black History Month

One thing I remember hearing as I was growing up: "February is Black History Month". Rochelle Riley of the Detroit Free Press wrote and interesting article about it earlier in the month.

Here is how the article starts out:

I propose that, from this day forward, we stop telling the tale of two Americas and instead document and celebrate the full and storied, multicultural and multidimensional story that is America in all of its colors, geographies and passions, in all of its ups, downs and exhortations.

I propose that, for the first time in American history, this country has reached a point where we are can stop celebrating separately, stop learning separately, stop being American separately. We have reached a point where most Americans want to gain a larger understanding of the people they have not known, customs they have not known, traditions they have not known.

I propose that this month. 142 years after Congress passed the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 that allowed for the Southern states to be re-admitted to the Union, we adopt our own personal reconstruction goals to admit into our lives people who are different, people whose origins differ from ours, people who can teach us so much if we listen.

I propose that this month we become not the America of Rush Limbaugh or the America of Al Franken, but to become an America where all opinions matter and hope trumps hate.

You can go here to finish reading the article. You know, strike that. I encourage you to follow the link to read the article.

I always thought that it was a slap to designate February, the shortest month of the year, to be Black History Month. When I read the above-mentioned article, a question I asked myself was, "Is the author black?" (She is, by the by.) Almost as if one needs to be black (or African American) in order to give legitimacy to racial arguments. Dr. King was thinking of a color-blind society, and this is definitely not a color-blind way of looking at things.

I was listening to the radio a couple of Sundays ago (Sunday morning radio is filled with church-related broadcasts in Georgia), and I heard nearly a complete sermon from a pastor at a local Baptist church. The pastor started out with a prayer for the incoming president.

The sermon discussed how the election of a black president shows the fulfillment of Dr. King's dream. And, you know what, I can't remember Dr. King talking about the goal being a black man in the White House. I thought his dreams dealt with all of us having the same opportunities. And let's face it, most of us will not have the opportunity to be a politician (and politicians definitely are judged, in part, on the way they look).

Now I don't know if we should not have a Black History Month – growing up, it seemed advantageous to learn about Black Americans that have contributed significantly. Granted, there was no Hispanic Heritage Month. And history class was full of White people who contributed. I guess that is the part of the reason for Black History Month. To shed light on the contributions of Black Americans.

I want there to be no need for Black History Month. Not sure we are there, but if electing Obama has brought us closer to racial divides, then I am happy. Confused, but happy.