Feb., Black History Month, The Whole Month - Why? Martin Luther King Has a Day!

Thank you Kathy for your response and thank you for the support and enthusiasm you are showing for my granddaughter~Donna

You go girl, we should all hold our heads up high, this is what it's all about. How many have fought and died so we could have this to call our month? I think Black History month should be every month of the year.

Myrith, In my eyes Black History Month is a yearly event, as are all the other cultures. Thank you for your response~Donna

What a wonderful story and how fortunate that child was to have had him in her life. My granddaughter now lives completely on the other side of the country from me and has for several months now. The only contact I have with her is through emails. I am hoping people will share their stories of history and hope, at least one a day, so I can copy and send them to her. Thank you very much~Donna

Unfortunately no, neither are his parents. She did have the ability to be with them for awhile, and his grandmama is a fine woman; but let's leave it at the point that during visits with him there was physical abuse and it was I who had her pulled out of his home. During the time period she was with us (several years back and forth as my daughter is not one who is content to settle down to any one place; but comes back when things get rough) we have tried to emphasize the strength of black women. Harriet Tubman is one of the first ones that I started with, as well as Oprah. But the woman that she most related to was Queen Latifah! She saw that someone who was larger than the "model types" could be a beautiful woman. We researched together the fact that she had been a drug user and had brought herself out of the ghetto. My granddaughter was very impressed with that. About 3 years ago I moved into a very old Victorian house along the Ohio River. The tunnel has long ago been blocked; but the original door for the Underground Railway remains. I took her to the basement where we both stood, holding our hands on the door, then laying our cheeks and ears to the door, feeling the vibrations of all the many people that passed through it to safety. Thank you for your comment and response~Donna

Donna, I am from India and we have so many cultures and races living togther in one land, we just accept this as normal and when our kids ask us we tell them everything as honestly as possible. FOr me its hard to comprehend raising a balck child as the color does not matter here. The caste does and To my kid I try and explain it as rationally as possible. He was asked in school who all are muslims, he came back to me telling me that his class has many pakistani kids, I understood from some other kids he nmust have heard this and I felt the way it was handled by teacher bad pointing out muslim kids to other kids. I didn't go out and complained as it would have been of no use, I told him about why a person is called a hindu other muslim and someone else a sikh. I have personally read all religious scriptures and am trying not to instill any kind of belief in my kid, I wantr him to find his own calling, his own God, whoever it may be. I think if you do not feel anything is different about her in your heart she also will never feel the same. I am not much aware of how much this problem is there in your place so may be my advice is not worth anything.

Mansha, Thank you so much for your history lesson. You have taught me much and it is appreciated. I was only a little aware of your caste system and am always open to learning more. Is it not sad that no matter where we are, there is prejudice of some kind. May peace be with you and your family~Donna

Tide, That is more or less what I was getting at. I was angered at the fact that someone had dared to say that Black History Month was a "bad" thing because "they" already had "Martin Luther King Day" and what more did they want. Multi-cultural teaching should be a part of everyday learning; and it always astonishes me that most other contries automatically teach "English" to thier students, while we offer foreign languages only as elective subjects.~Donna

I disagree with having black history month since there are so many races and nationalities that are left out. What makes black people so special that they "get a month"? Why don't white people deserve a month? Is our history not as important as theirs? I'm so tired of the "special" treatment that they think they deserve. WE ALL DESERVE IT!

Spiritfinger - as a white woman I must tell you that we not only have months - we have years and years and years. most of the history our children learn in school is about white people and what the white people have created to "help" people of other colors. you are right in the fact that there should not have to be a black history month - black history should be celebrated in equality with white history. black people have worked just as hard and side by side with white people, asian people, jewish people, mexican people, spanish people, middle eastern people, native american people and all of the other peoples that have lived in this country. We are a diversified culture; yet we limit our teachings to that of the white populace. where in anyone's mind does that even begin to make sense?~Donna

And, think about it Firo, I know you will come up with some answers. Thank you for responding~Donna

Flup, I'm not sure who theh "she" is that you are talking about that needs the healing; but I pray to the God and Goddess that she be blessed with the spirit of love that I know you are giving her~Donna

Krystal, I am not familiar with that movie; but I will ask a few questions. Did it teach you anything about civil rights and civil strife? Did it teach you anything about racism? When the movie was over did the teacher have an open classromm discussion about it? Was the discussion held in a positive light or was the air of tension high? What did you bring away from the movie. I am impressed that you remember what grade you were in when you saw it, so it must have had some impact on your life. I would like for you to share it if you feel comfortable in doing so. If not, I do thank you for answering this post~Donna

Krystal, I am not familiar with that movie; but I will ask a few questions. Did it teach you anything about civil rights and civil strife? Did it teach you anything about racism? When the movie was over did the teacher have an open classromm discussion about it? Was the discussion held in a positive light or was the air of tension high? What did you bring away from the movie. I am impressed that you remember what grade you were in when you saw it, so it must have had some impact on your life. I would like for you to share it if you feel comfortable in doing so. If not, I do thank you for answering this post~Donna

The movie is called Eyes On The Prize. It comes in 7 parts but I don't remember how long each part is. It is really a documentary and not a movie. It is about the Civil Rights Movement. I remember the teacher writing down quesition that we had to answer to make sure we really did pay attention. I leared alot from the movies. You might be able to get it on Amazon. I hear that they have a part 2. I think this documentary will help alot. They also have interviews with different people in the movie.

Donna--
Eyes on the Prize was a PBS program on civil rights and most PBS stations air it every year.

They have it on video too just dont DVD.

Thank you for your response sunshine~Donna

Thank you so much for your comments and your opinions. I appreciate you responding to this discussion~Donna

i AGREE. besides i feel it is high time that african americans teach their own about their history so our children get a correct perception of their history. this is why i homeschool so my son will learn the things i want him to know without criticism from a system that doesnt embrace him culturally, spiritually financially or emtionally. teach your granddaughter donna it is up to you to teach her what the schools will not. it is your personal responsibility to help her be everything she can be in life. thats why 18 years is not enough time to raise a child and no child should leave home at that age because the learning process takes much longer. my son will live at home until hes ready to be a man and truly stand on his own 2 feet, spiritually, emotionally, financially and physically.

Many thanks to both of you for your responses. I did not mean what I said about the "culture months" in a literal sense. I meant that American the Beautiful should embrace a Multi-Cultural stance instead of the lily white place that it comes from. You are both right, there should be no NEED for a Black History Month - it should be something that is automatically taught, as are all the other cultures. As for it being my responsibility to educate my granddaughter, I have posted a response to another comment that she is not in contact with me in any form other than email at this time. That was one of the reasons for this discussion. I was hoping to get responses that I could copy and paste and email to her. I appreciate the time you spent on your comments~Donna