Why Have A Black History Month?

Living in Idaho for over 30 years, I’ve heard many objections to having a Black History Month. Some objections were spoken with a hint of foresight. However, most were spoken from a deep seeded air of superiority. None were spoken after investigating truth. This country has a rich history. Unfortunately a lot of America’s truth history is inaccurate, left out and sometimes flat out made up. Sadly, a lot of the inaccuracies put one or another minority group down, while allowing Whites to be depicted as bold, brave and true Americans.
For instance, James Loewen wrote a book ‘Lies My Teacher Told Me’. He examined twelve history books used in schools across America. One of only four of the twelve history books used tells the truth about President Woodrow Wilson. The man was am openly racist President. He believed Blacks were inferior. He ordered Black and White federal workers be segregated from each other. I’ve read more information and found, our former President of the United States Woodrow Wilson had a long history of hatred towards Blacks. Yet, because he was a President history doesn’t tell the truth about him. So, students, especially Black students, all around this country attend schools named “Woodrow Wilson High” or “Woodrow Wilson Elementary” not knowing he was a very hateful man.
This country distorts the historical truth, even when it comes to the Bible. Charleston Heston plays Moses, in the Ten Commandments. He’s White and his wife is White. The Bible clearly states in Numbers 12:1, “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.” When is the last time a church pastor talked about Moses’ wife being an Ethiopian woman? There are some so-called modern day biblical scholars, such as those who wrote the Harpers Study Bible who, in the first place, use the word Cushite, instead of Ethiopian in their Bible. Then in their footnotes contend that it’s debatable whether or not Moses’ Ethiopian wife was Negress. This insinuates that maybe Ethiopians weren’t dark skinned people. However, turn to Jeremiah 13:23, where it asks “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard his spots?” This proves to me that the Ethiopian’s skin was noticeably different. Ethiopians were Africans and still are today. Black Americans are mostly descendants of Africans, therefore we have heritage even in the Bible. However in this country, when it comes to religion, we’re made to feel like stepchildren. It’s as if White America is saying, “even though you’re not included in the Bible, God loves you anyways.”
Here’s another example of history happening right before our eyes. Picture a woman in a grocery story. She has a shopping basket full of food. There’s one child in the basket and two more following her around. Once in line you notice the food in her basket. There’s steak, beer, and cigarettes. You’re hard pressed to find anything in the basket for the children. Then she pulls out food stamps or vouchers to pay for the food. Depending on what part of the country you live in, most people would admit the woman they see in this situation is a Black woman. That’s because the television news always uses people of color when they do stories on welfare or welfare reform. Television has conditioned people to see Blacks whenever they hear the word welfare. I researched welfare in this country. The truth is there are almost ten times more Whites on welfare, than there are Blacks. That’s because there are ten times more Whites in this country. So, the truth of the matter is, Blacks are not abusing the welfare system. The truth of the matter is Whites need to get off welfare too.
A lot of farmers in this country, including Idaho farmers owe there livelihood to a Black man named George Washington Carver. He came up with ways a lot of ways to use peanuts, including peanut butter. When’s the last time one of the peanut butter companies mentioned that in their advertisements? Carver introduced crop rotation to southern farmers. Crop rotation allows farmers to get the maximum use of their land. He also came up with many uses for barley. Farming is an important part of America’s history. Yet, when we think of hard working farmers, we rarely envision Blacks or George Washington Carver.
In a relationship between two people truth has to be the foundation. From truth the relationship can build and become healthy. America and its history are rich because of the many differences in its people. We can improve America by improving the relationships between its people. History is important because it makes people feel like they have a stake in the building of this country. Until we are able to tell the truth, starting with the truth regarding Native Indians (original Americans) and slavery (It was about money not hate). I toured a city underground, in Pendleton, Oregon. Asians who help build the railroads had to live in this underground city, because they weren’t allowed in the city after dark.
So, until we dig deep pass superiority, to the truth of the past, I’m for Black History Month. However, I do pray for the day when American History includes all who helped build it. I’ll be happy to give up Black History Month when history books truly begin to investigate. Walsh (a White man) and Burrell (a Black man) remind us in their book ‘The Other America’ of a man who owned hundredths of slaves and actually is responsible for lying about the bravery and skills of Black soldiers. Even when this general had to use Black soldiers because three thousand of his White soldiers deserted him, he would never give the Black soldier credit. By the way when this General is depicted crossing the Delaware, it never shows Prince Whipple and Oliver Cromwell, two Black men who were on the very same boat. That man is called the Father of our Country, George Washington. How many of us were taught these facts in our American History classes?