Did We Trade a Positive Negro Week for a Negative Black Month?

In 1926, historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History he co-founded declared the second week of February – which included the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass – Negro History Week, with a straightforward purpose: encourage the coordinated teaching of American Negro history in America’s public schools. Woodson stated why the endeavor mattered:

    “If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated. The American Indian left no continuous record. He did not appreciate the value of tradition; and where is he today? The Hebrew keenly appreciated the value of tradition, as is attested by the Bible itself. In spite of worldwide persecution, therefore, he is a great factor in our civilization.”

The inaugural observance garnered limited support – the states of Delaware, North Carolina, and West Virginia, and the cities of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. However, by 1929, Dr. Woodson reported that all but two states “with considerable Negro population had made the event known to that state’s teachers and distributed official literature associated with the event.” The black church and press worked to help Negro History Week grow in popularity over the following decades. The annual rehearsing of positive black contributions to American history gave a factual foundation for black “radicals” and white “progressives” (then a more constructive force for black interests) pursuing the remarkable black civil rights gains of the twentieth century.

In 1969, black students at Kent State University proposed expanding Negro – now Black – History Week to all of February, and celebrated the first Black History Month on their campus a year later. In 1976, Black History Month “went national” as part of America’s bicentennial celebration. Yet Black History Month was not was not a government concession to black people. Instead, the Black History Movement was a gift from blacks – though politically “weak” and largely disenfranchised – to America.

Yet blacks now seem to trade the pride their gift provided in favor of petty concerns about when or how others remember it.

Negro History Week’s launch was not to create a special time of black remembrance, but to accurately present the accomplishments of America’s blacks for inclusion into the national pantheon of remembered deeds. Indeed, when Dr. Woodson said:

    “Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.”

the statement crossed color lines, as blacks are no less American than other U.S. citizens. However, instead of continuing the Black History Movement to further wed the Black Experience to the American Experiment, many now use that the annual focus on black history to drive wedges between Americans, on the basis of race.

One wedge is that of negative information. Every February, instead of extolling the contributions of Frederick Douglass, Harriett Tubman, John Hanson, or others to promote American black achievements, many blacks choose to rehearse the ugly past, with images:

Picture2

or accounts of Tulsa, 1921, Thibodaux, 1887, Chicago, 1919, Emmett Till, or George Stinney and admonish other blacks to “Never Forget”.

Dr. Woodson knew blacks suffered atrocities; they preceded the launch of Negro History Week, and continued as it grew. Woodson also knew those events neither represented black accomplishment nor elevated black people. For blacks to overcome the atrocities, Woodson understood that stressing what the Negro had done for America, mattered more than focusing on what some, even many, in America had done to him.

Another wedge is that of inaccuracy. Some black “accomplishments” are more mythological than historical. Two such myths involve Dr. Charles Richard Drew. First, many credit Drew with discovering that plasma could be separated from whole blood and stored; he did not, and neither Drew, nor his colleagues, ever made such claims. Drew’s accomplishments, which include supervising programs to ship plasma to British and American soldiers, establishing uniform procedures for mass blood collection and plasma processing, and being the first American black to earn a Doctor of Science in Medicine degree, are impressive without embellishment; they simply do not include those medical science breakthroughs.

The second Drew myth says that he died, following a traffic accident, because a white hospital refused him a blood transfusion. However, a passenger reported that everyone in the car, including Drew, were treated immediately and, due to the severity of Drew’s injuries, a blood transfusion might have killed him sooner.

Another set of myths surround the Tuskegee Airmen, of World War II fame, including:

    • They never lost a bomber under escort,
    • They were the first to shoot down a German jet fighter, and
    • That Tuskegee Airmen units were all black

these, and other assertions, though featured in the 2012 movie “Red Tails” are simply not true, according to documents maintained by Tuskegee University.

Other statements of black accomplishments are simply false, including claims that blacks invented the traffic signal, the gas mask, the air conditioner, etc.

Dr. Woodson worked to address the “lack of accurate written history about the experiences and contributions of Americans of African descent”; America’s historical record, being incomplete, was also inaccurate. A capable historian understands the importance of accuracy; inaccuracy destroys an historian’s credibility, and lessens interest in the subjects of his study. Had Woodson attempted to foist embellished or false stories about blacks upon the American nation, Negro History Week would have “died in the womb”, taking national regard for blacks – not high at the time – to even lower levels.

Negro History Week owed its launch and success to dual loves – of black Americans and of the American nation – which elevated both of those beloveds. That love is increasingly replaced with open animosity toward the nation and her white people. Positive images and accounts of past black contributions are replaced with images and accounts of an horrific past that the nation shed both tears and blood to put behind her. Exaggerations and falsehoods diminish the witness of truthful recollections of heroic black accomplishments.

What a learned man of color gave to unite and elevate his people and nation, others, primarily of the same color, now pervert to the detriment of the same. Black History Month needs to return to its origins when it was celebrated as Negro History Week or, soon, it may not be worth celebrating at all.

 Comments (105) 

  1. quoted on buy wow gold says:

    buy wow gold

    Allow me to warranty that in case it buy wow gold is actually perfectly utilized , the little asks correctly over and over again … This is why method . a vintage.

  2. quoted on cheap wow gold says:

    cheap wow gold

    that i applied a set of two as i decided to japanese the united kingdom remain the fall…terribly stylish, nice and maintained me personally type. Thanks ! cheap wow gold

  3. quoted on wholesale louis vuitton says:

    wholesale louis vuitton

    Very Quick Shipping and just as described! Thank You!

  4. obat penyubur untuk laki laki

    I should add that I’m not that technical, so a solution that is easy to use would be more appropriate of the two. . . The website will work in a similar way to gumtree’s classified ads. If this is possible would I also be able to add a charging mecha…

  5. quoted on tips cara cepat hamil says:

    tips cara cepat hamil

    Where are some good places to get good free blogger templates?

  6. quoted on tas sekolah anak says:

    tas sekolah anak

    What is the best way to search for blogs you are interested in?

  7. khasiat madu untuk ibu hamil muda

    I’m creating a new blog about literature ( what I’ve read, what I’m reading), but I’m having trouble thinking of a title. I like the idea of something having to do with an obsession with literature but I think bookophilia is on the average side. Wh…

  8. madu untuk kesuburan pria dan wanita

    My friend put together my small business website in dreamweaver for me. However, I now want to maintain it myself—my friend recommended putting it into wordpress. However, I am not a web designer and have no idea what I’m doing—is there an easy wa…

  9. quoted on Toko Selimut Surabaya says:

    Toko Selimut Surabaya

    What are the skills that I need to run a website business, I want to display some useful info on my site to earn money. I am not talking about designing part, I know how to launch a website but don’t know how to get advertisements from companies, mark…

  10. quoted on madu murah says:

    madu murah

    How do I start a website for free or cheap?

  11. quoted on jual kaos couple says:

    jual kaos couple

    I want to start a fashion blog but have no idea where to start?

  12. jenis makanan agar cepat hamil

    How long can my computer keep running with an outdated browser?. I browser my computer is outdated. However my computer’s little outdated too, and doesn’t have what it would need to run the new browser. Should I start saving up for a new one, or can…

  13. quoted on tas jansport says:

    tas jansport

    Is there a way to make your WordPress blog posts do-follow?

  14. quoted on harga laptop says:

    harga laptop

    I’ll be teaching a creative writing class this summer to a group of 11-14 year-olds. I have experience teaching writing (mostly poetry) to adults, but teaching kids will be new territory. Does anyone have some great tips, websites, resources for exerc…

  15. cari madu penyubur kandungan

    What are the skills that I need to run a website business, I want to display some useful info on my site to earn money. I am not talking about designing part, I know how to launch a website but don’t know how to get advertisements from companies, mark…

  16. obat penyubur supaya cepat hamil

    How do i use frame or iframe to put facebook or else to blogspot?

  17. quoted on madu hitam diabet says:

    madu hitam diabet

    What is a blogging site where people give a lot of quick feedback?

  18. quoted on toko sepatu online says:

    toko sepatu online

    We want to start a celebrity blog, like Perez Hilton. But how do we create a blog, with two people writing? Also how do we get celebrity gossip? We would like to know all the steps to get this blog popular in the world and how to start it..

  19. quoted on jual kaos grosir says:

    jual kaos grosir

    I have a video post in blogger then how can I put a repost link to that? I have already go to addthis but don’t know how to put the code in its proper place wherein the individual posts are being place with an embed this or repost this or share this.…

  20. posisi bersetubuh agar cepat hamil

    How do I know if my blogs are being seen by others?

  21. quoted on urut cepat hamil says:

    urut cepat hamil

    I wish to write articles based on the information collected through some copyright books. I won’t copy – paste the material but edit or modify it in such a way that the meaning remains the same. I would also give credit to the books and their authors.…

  22. khasiat madu penyubur kandungan al wadey

    How does a computer virus getting formed?. I have a lot of computer viruses lately but thanks to Norton Anti-virus and Malwarebytes Anti-malware my computer is 100% secure. But how does a computer virus formed? Do people actually make it and they sprea…

  23. quoted on Iklan Google Adwords Gratis says:

    Iklan Google Adwords Gratis

    Why does Firefox not work since I downloaded yahoo instant messenger?

  24. ingin cepat hamil setelah haid

    http://www.tscpress.com/garcinia cambogia walmart

  25. quoted on obat penyubur herbal says:

    obat penyubur herbal

    How do you delete media files with apostrophes from Joomla?

  26. quoted on Toko Selimut Jakarta says:

    Toko Selimut Jakarta

    How do I display new blog posts on my homepage?

  27. quoted on mau cepat hamil says:

    mau cepat hamil

    Any one know how to get a free copyright for articles published in blogs..?

  28. quoted on toko buku online says:

    toko buku online

    I am starting a business selling various baby things that I make. And I want to start a website to be able to sell them on. Can anyone tell me the steps that I would need to go through to do this? And what is the cost?. Thanks..

  29. quoted on manfaat madu penyubur says:

    manfaat madu penyubur

    In Firefox you have the standard silver toolbars where the address bar and file/edit bars are there is the silver background. How do you customize and change that around?.

  30. langkah-langkah ingin cepat hamil

    I’m just having this crazy idea, I’m planning to post comic pages or strips on Blogger, since its generating revenue from Google Adsense, I might profit from this, hehe (me gloating like an alien Ferengi). Will this idea work?.

  31. quoted on manfaat madu ibu hamil says:

    manfaat madu ibu hamil

    How do I use wordpress and comicpress to create a website and publish my comic strips?

  32. quoted on jual kaos flypower says:

    jual kaos flypower

    What is the difference between Computer science and information technology?

  33. quoted on tas sekolah says:

    tas sekolah

    Can you type long blog posts on the PS3 web browser?

  34. quoted on khasiat madu kurma says:

    khasiat madu kurma

    Im based in London have worked as a secretary for more than 10 years and have an HND in Business Studies but am tired of admin work and office politics and would like to do something more creative- change careers.. . I write in my spare time and have a…

  35. quoted on madu herbal untuk ibu hamil says:

    madu herbal untuk ibu hamil

    Is there a copyright or anything on content in Youtube videos?

  36. quoted on madu kesuburan di surabaya says:

    madu kesuburan di surabaya

    ive got alot of free time on my hands recently, so ive decided to start blogging again, . . does anybody know any good blogging sites which are free and easy to use?? (apart from tumbr and blogger/google ). . thanks (:.

  37. quoted on jual kaos jeep says:

    jual kaos jeep

    Where can I find the best online creative writing courses?

  38. quoted on nutrisi agar cepat hamil says:

    nutrisi agar cepat hamil

    I am working on consolodating my online brand and identity. How to i set my blog up to receive the comments i post on others blogs or the questions I answer on Yahoo Answers or Linked in Q&A? . . What do I have to do when i comment or answer on others…

  39. quoted on tips agar cepat hamil says:

    tips agar cepat hamil

    Can connecting another computer to my network influence the connections of the other computers?

  40. quoted on Miu Miu bags cheap says:

    Miu Miu bags cheap

    Love it THANKS FAST SHIPPING

  41. konsumsi madu buat ibu hamil

    My computer freezes whenever i start a video call on IMs?

  42. quoted on jual kaos raglan online says:

    jual kaos raglan online

    I want to start a blog and I am trying to find a blog site?

  43. kegunaan madu untuk ibu hamil

    I am new to blogging. What website is good for blogging for a summer reading book assignment?

  44. quoted on solusi cepat hamil says:

    solusi cepat hamil

    For the “letter to the editor,” can one send his/her blog post to the editor. The instructions say: “Letters to the editor should only be sent to The Times, and not to other publications. We do not publish open letters or third-party letters.”. . D…

  45. quoted on jual beli online says:

    jual beli online

    I know that there are countless plug-ins designed to make the comments do-follow, but I’m looking for something that will make the links in the blog-posts themselves do-follow. Please include a link or detailed instructions on how to do this. Thanks!.…

  46. quoted on www.cepat hamil.com says:

    http://www.cepat hamil.com

    I know many wikipedia articles contains copyright violation or licence violation. how do i do this..

  47. Toko Selimut Pasar Baru Bandung

    What is the best way to start a photography website?

  48. quoted on sepasang madu penyubur says:

    sepasang madu penyubur

    Where students and I can post answers for others students.. Somewhere people can get answers for their quizes and tests.. No sarcastic answers or anything.. If enough people say yes, then I will definetely start one and send those people the link to th…

  49. quoted on nutrisi untuk cepat hamil says:

    nutrisi untuk cepat hamil

    What is Copyright Violation: copyrighted content detected, How do i remove it?

  50. quoted on tas selempang wanita says:

    tas selempang wanita

    How can I get Firefox 3 to stop logging me out everytime I close the browser?

  51. obat tradisional agar cepat hamil

    Hi,. can enybody please tell me other platforms that blogger, wordpress, posterous, dupral where I can make blog posts by email?. I need a list of free blog services that allow you to make your post by email..

  52. quoted on jual kaos jersey says:

    jual kaos jersey

    I’m planning on doing an English Literature with Creative Writing undergraduate degree course, beginning in 2010. Initially, I just wanted to study English, but recently I’ve decided I would be better suited to English Literature with Creative Writin…

  53. quoted on tas wanita says:

    tas wanita

    A friend has a computer that turns itself off after a certain period of time of inactivity. And all you have to do is move the mouse a little, and the computer comes back on. Maybe the computer is not completely off, maybe this is called hibernate or s…

  54. quoted on cara minum madu penyubur says:

    cara minum madu penyubur

    Wonderful views on that!

  55. quoted on madu untuk hamil muda says:

    madu untuk hamil muda

    Just got a Blogger account, it works good, but how do I find different users blogs I like with search. I remember there is a way, but I am not seeing it now. Thanks for your help..

  56. quoted on grosir madu says:

    grosir madu

    What Firefox Extension can I get to download streaming videos from sites?

  57. quoted on tas import murah says:

    tas import murah

    Actually, I?m a blog starter. I just want more people to visit my blog to make me a popular blog. I?m capable of writing, and I know writing skill is a must. But is there any other way to make my blog more popular?.

  58. quoted on harga laptop murah says:

    harga laptop murah

    What is the best free software to automatically backup wordpress database and files?

  59. quoted on harga madu kehamilan says:

    harga madu kehamilan

    What is the difference between a Creative Writing major and a Creative Writing concentration?

  60. quoted on tas wanita says:

    tas wanita

    How to apply for google adsense account for my all 3 blogs and 2 websites ?

  61. quoted on kiat untuk cepat hamil says:

    kiat untuk cepat hamil

    What is Copyright Violation: copyrighted content detected, How do i remove it?

  62. quoted on langkah2 agar cepat hamil says:

    langkah2 agar cepat hamil

    Is getting a Masters Degree in Creative Writing a waste of time?

  63. quoted on khasiat madu kurma says:

    khasiat madu kurma

    I’m looking to find out as much about the online surfing community as I can. Can anyone recommend their favorite blogs, twitter handles, or sites that you find most comprehensive? Which ones are most popular? Thanks!.

  64. quoted on www.cepat hamil.com says:

    http://www.cepat hamil.com

    Whenever i start a video call/ web cam/voice call on live messenger, skype, google talk, yahoo messenger, my computer totally freezes, and gives an echo. I have to restart it manually. Sometimes it comes with a blue screen, and it restarts itself.. I a…

  65. quoted on sepatu wanita terbaru says:

    sepatu wanita terbaru

    Is it possible to convert a two column Joomla template into a three column one?

  66. quoted on resep obat cepat hamil says:

    resep obat cepat hamil

    I have a blogger blog with a custom domain set up. I want to export it to a hosted wordpress blog. Some of my posts have good ranks with google and I don’t want to mess that up. My new WP blog will be the .net of my custom blogger domain so the permal…

  67. quoted on jual kaos grosir says:

    jual kaos grosir

    I have been blogging since last month, my blog was indexed already in google but during the test i conducted, i search for a certain keyword related on my blog but it only shows the blog title and it directs me to the homepage not on the actual post. N…

  68. jamu tradisional cepat hamil

    How to uninstall firefox using command prompt or from registry?

  69. quoted on obat penyubur mani says:

    obat penyubur mani

    I want to gain more followers by submitting my pictures to blogs. Like when people click through, they will link to my blog.

  70. quoted on jual kaos jumbo says:

    jual kaos jumbo

    I had two computers both connected to a wireless router. Yesterday I connected a third computer to the network and, although the connection goes through for this new computer, one of the original computers now says “Limited or no connectivity” and ca…

  71. quoted on apa khasiat madu asli says:

    apa khasiat madu asli

    Every code I try either leaves a massive gap at the top of the page, or at the bottom of the page. Its definitely that code causing it.. I’ve tried so many codes trying to hide the blogs & extended network, but they all leave a white gap either at the…

  72. quoted on sepatu says:

    sepatu

    If my background image was labeled for commercial reuse can I claim copyright on all other content?

  73. quoted on sepatu wanita says:

    sepatu wanita

    How do I make one of my blog posts appear on another one of my pages?

  74. obat penyubur untuk laki laki

    I work for a small business and they don’t have a website. What is the easiest, cheapest way to start a professional looking website?.

  75. quoted on posisi sek agar cepat hamil says:

    posisi sek agar cepat hamil

    I may have found something that is copyright infringement on associated content… What exactly happens if it’s reported?. Does associated content nail down on the writer? Or is the content simply removed?. Is the writer charged with criminal offenses…

  76. quoted on nutrisi supaya cepat hamil says:

    nutrisi supaya cepat hamil

    I have been told to improve your creative writing you need to read a lot.. What great classic books, can I read (from any period or country) that will improve my writing.. Genre is unimportant, though I am not writing for children.. I said classic, I r…

  77. quoted on jual kaos sepeda says:

    jual kaos sepeda

    I want to start website very soon but I need to know certain costs. What factors did you have to pay for when you started up our website?. . How much was a website designer?. How much was your domain name?. What is your monthly rent for the domain name…

  78. quoted on tas pesta says:

    tas pesta

    I know where the images from the blog posts are, but don’t know where to look for the blog posts in my backups. Can you help? Hope it’s not a silly question..

  79. obat herbal agar cepat hamil

    What is a good firefox addon to save massive number of pictures on separated links?

  80. quoted on jual baju murah says:

    jual baju murah

    What are some good blogging sites where your posts are actually read by others daily?

  81. madu penyubur kandungan yg bagus

    Hi!. I would like to have an online store using blogger and paypal. Any ideas how to do it? Could you please give me step by step instructions? I appreciate it. Thanks!.

  82. beragam manfaat madu untuk kecantikan

    How to switch WordPress menu from right side to the left?

  83. quoted on Toko Selimut Rumah Sakit says:

    Toko Selimut Rumah Sakit

    I am working on an educational website and the owners wanted an article section where I put articles they indicate on the site. The articles come from news/magazine and other online article/new sources. I have been listing ?Article Taken From: (URL)? a…

  84. quoted on program cepat hamil says:

    program cepat hamil

    How to test if a computer is connected to the network correctly?

  85. quoted on Toko Online Selimut Bulu says:

    Toko Online Selimut Bulu

    I have not read too many good things about Webfetti – mainly people wanting to remove it from their computers, so I’m looking for alternatives that I do not need to install.. Do you have web-sites where I can copy codes from to change the layout of my…

  86. quoted on www.madu penyubur.com says:

    http://www.madu penyubur.com

    How do I write a Blog introducing a new to social networking site?

  87. quoted on jual kaos unik kaskus says:

    jual kaos unik kaskus

    I find myself wanting another website to blog,post,etc. help ?.

  88. quoted on madu penyubur kndungan says:

    madu penyubur kndungan

    I deleted my Blogspot account some time ago. However, I saved the link from the blog and it appears to still be active. I don’t understand what I did wrong. I cannot get to the blog by typing in the original address, but I can by following the link. I…

  89. quoted on sepatu wanita terbaru says:

    sepatu wanita terbaru

    How do you create your own blogger header for your blogspot?.

  90. manfaat madu untuk kesuburan pria dan wanita

    Firefox / internet does not work but internet connection is excellent?

  91. surat alquran agar cepat hamil

    I have a diet blog i just started, i have about 3 posts, someone said i should start promoting i now. I thought i should wait until i had at least 10 posts and feedback from a few people in various forums before I promote it so maybe in 2 weeks. What d…

  92. quoted on jamu biar cepat hamil says:

    jamu biar cepat hamil

    Just got a Blogger account, it works good, but how do I find different users blogs I like with search. I remember there is a way, but I am not seeing it now. Thanks for your help..

  93. quoted on jual kaos rohani says:

    jual kaos rohani

    If I reword a news article is that copyright ?

  94. quoted on grosir sepatu says:

    grosir sepatu

    Where can I find the best online creative writing courses? I live in NYC so which colleges offer the best online creative writing course? If not in a college than where else?.

  95. quoted on wow gold says:

    wow gold

    wow gold conforme au descriptif, livraison agile, concis expression gentil du vendeur !!!

  96. quoted on Iklan Adwords Tidak Muncul says:

    Iklan Adwords Tidak Muncul

    Anyone know of or have links to Australian copyright infringement cases involving photos or articles? Thanks.?

  97. quoted on jual kaos anak says:

    jual kaos anak

    What is the best site to start a blog on?

  98. quoted on net says:

    net

    I’ll be teaching a creative writing class this summer to a group of 11-14 year-olds. I have experience teaching writing (mostly poetry) to adults, but teaching kids will be new territory. Does anyone have some great tips, websites, resources for exerc…


 © 2024 - Black Man Thinkin'