Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
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Sunday, February 5, 2006
Why Freeman hates Black History Month
None other than Morgan Freeman, the distinguished African American actor, told 60 Minutes he opposes Black History Month because he believes setting black history aside in one month marginalizes the history of a people that is deeply intertwined with all American history.
I found Freeman’s comments in an interesting Houston Chronicle story that looks at the debate over the usefulness of Black History Month.
From the story:
Black History Month has its origins in Negro History Week, started in 1926 by historian Carter Woodson, who wanted to bring attention to the contributions of blacks.
Woodson had hoped the week eventually would be eliminated after black history was fully integrated into American History.
But many say that day appears to be a long way off.
The story describes how some black history experts are inundated with requests to speak at school in February but almost never get any such calls the rest of the year.
I have to admit, some Black History Month programming makes me squirm. It’s unnerving, for instance, to see Martin Luther King Jr reduced to a cuddly, non-threatening cartoonish character who simply “helped black people,” rather than the fiery, establishment-bashing radical that led a nation-changing revolution. The story describes some school Black History Month celebrations that are little more than soul food lunches and MLK posters.
Yet, Black History Month does pressure those schools that might otherwise ignore black history to at least address it. And black history programming done right can certainly benefit kids.
What do you think of Black History Month?
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