It’s February again and time for Black-History Month. And, once again we’ll sit through half-hearted presentations about African American’s contributions to American society. I think it’s time we faced the fact that this concept has become dated and be done with it. Really, how many more times do I have to hear the story of George Washington Carver to know my man was a wizard with the peanut? I mean, if his descendants aren’t receiving royalties from peanut butter manufactures then what’s the point?
Last year, Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia proposed a confederacy month to commemorate a time when black people knew their place, but the ridiculousness of his proposal only crystallized for me the futility of the whole concept. The genius of African American ingenuity is part of the fabric of America, as is slavery, segregation and lynching. No need to have a national ceremony for any of it.
The fact is as a whole we have regressed. Kudos for the progress we’ve made. We have been resilient throughout the most brutal, inhumane treatment of any people on earth. And it is that fortitude that needs to be channeled today to achieve greatness the world has yet to witness. However, do not be deceived, the progress we’ve made to date has been mostly cosmetic and illusory. Our hierarchal status in American society is the same today in the 21st century as it was in 1911; even below that of recent immigrants to this country.
We should know our history; a lot of us don’t. And it should not be relegated to one month of brief overviews of certain individuals. And when you declare one month as a time to celebrate your history, you inadvertently imply the other eleven months are not; and how ironic that February just happens to be the shortest month. Your culture and history are what link you to the human family. And that requires a life-long commitment to study-everyday; especially for us – a people whose history has been attacked, suppressed and hidden.
And while we’re at it, let’s stop playing the color game; we should be beyond that now. There is only one race and that is the human race. People with pigmented skin are descendants of Africa and originate from that continent. The color game was introduced to create a pseudo-hierarchal order that placed us on the bottom, and still impacts us to this day.
Let’s leave the Crayolas to the grade-schoolers and get down to grown folks business. Leave the antiquated concepts to the revisionists who need them. And let us begin to make some history here, now – today that will make a better world.
Black and Proud,
Mr. Blue
Copyright © 2012 by Paul Brown
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