Black History Month

Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926, first as Negro History Week and later as Black History Month. Indeed, when the tradition originated, black history barely had been studied or even documented.

Although the first blacks arrived in America in 1619, four hundred years passed before their contributions were recognized as integral to the evolution of our society and finally gained recognition in the history books.

Today, millions are familiar to one degree or another with prominent black names such as Mohammed Ali, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods and in a different arena, Maxine Waters, Colin Powell and Barack Obama, but to better appreciate the immense and in many cases, dramatic influence of African/Americans on our great country, as a start, I invite you to visit the web sites listed below:

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmbios1.html

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmfirsts.html

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmscientists1.html

Of course, generic, information-only web sites barely scratch the surface of the history of black men and women in America. In any case, one month a year is far too little time to devote to the study of a topic so profoundly interwoven throughout our nation’s history, and for many of us, demanding schedules, hectic days and busy nights render impossible the pursuit of a new research project on any subject.

Therefore, I encourage everyone to make black history - history from a black perspective - a year-round inquisitive. Americans celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July, but we acknowledge the birth of our nation all year long in the little things we do or say. Many of us refer daily to the Founding Fathers and despite the passing of the centuries, on occasion, some claim to hear their voices and understand their intent. Why then limit our exploration of America’s past to a single perspective eleven months of the year? Certainly, study of the multi-racial, multi-cultural nature of our past will enrich our understanding of what it means to be an American and heighten our appreciation for the societal diversity that has made our nation great.

Alexander Solzenhitzen might have said: “To study black history is to close one eye, but not to study black history is to close both eyes.” As for me, I subscribe to Mark Twain’s theory of race relations in America: “I have no color prejudices nor caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. All I care to know is that a man is a human being, and that is enough for me. He can’t get any worse.”

William Schroder (www.cousinsofcolor.com) is the author of Cousins of Color.