Should Black History Month Stop Being Observed?

There are some folks who claim that we are living in a racial Utopia.Folks like Morgan Freeman don't see the need for a Black History Month.He says that he studies black history throughout the year.But the reason that we have it is that there is barely any mention of blacks in the U.S. history classes across America!Believe me,I wish that America was really all-inclusive.U.S history is still taught from a Eurocentric point of view.Therefore,people still need to be made aware of the contributions that countless African-Americans have made to this country.Here's more from The Arizona Republic:

"Tony Norman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette argues, "Now that Barack Obama and his family have moved into the White House, it's time to rethink the holiday Carter G. Woodson came up with nearly a century ago. Times have changed. Even the Republicans have a Black guy running the party. Maybe February can go back to being for all of us."

In 2005, actor Morgan Freeman denounced Black History Month during a 60 Minutes interview as "ridiculous," asking, "You're going to relegate my history to a month?"

While I admire Freeman's passion and agree with the spirit of his convictions, I disagree with his conclusions. Although "African-American history is American history" and, as such, should be integrated into the fabric of our education and daily consciousness, it also warrants particular attention.

America's promise, past, present, and future, will always be tied to, and measured by, the socioeconomic status of African-Americans. No matter how much we grow, and no matter how unified we become, we will always be a post-slave and Jim Crow society.

Black History Month, therefore, will never be obsolete. It will always be in our best interest to pause and explore the meaning of freedom through the lived experiences of a people who forced America to be true to its creed and reaffirmed the American dream. Those who would eliminate Black History Month often miss the point.

Should we educate ourselves about Black history throughout the year? Of course we should. Should we also take time out to acknowledge the fact that, without African-Americans, our understanding of "freedom and justice for all" would not exist? Yes.

If treated seriously and executed effectively, Black History Month could stimulate more concern for inclusive and probing educational curricula, intercultural communication and democracy itself.

Knowledge of African-American history is essential to comprehending our nation's character, and we should do everything that we can to ensure that all Americans know precisely who we are and how we came to be.

Moreover, Black History Month not only reminds of how far we've come, given all the challenges that remain, it also reminds us of how far we still must go."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.