The Student Room Group

Is Black History Month a Good Thing?

Is it? I mean, what about Hispanic history month or East-asian history month or Aboriginal Australian History month? Why only Black history month? And why is it so slavery oriented when black history traces back to the egyptian days? Is it really worth it?

My school didn't do anything for it until last year, where they asked all the black, mixed and even some Arab (??) kids to do a presentation on their history. It wasn't that great tbh. But surely, Black History (or indeed, anyone's history) is so deep, complex and expansive that it would take more than just a month to cover it all. So is it really a good thing? or is it just another meagre attempt for Whites to show how bad they feel? It's not like any country has or willever made a formal apology for slavery anyway – the political and economic consequences would most likely end in retribution which would result it billions if not trillions of pounds worth money given back to them.

I have yet to meet a black person who genuinely wanted an entire month dedicated to "their history". And I've never really learnt anything from it. Is it really worth making it a thing?

Scroll to see replies

Black History Month is here to stay. It's not going to go just because you don't like it. :h:
I don't mind the concept of a "Black History Month", But I think if you have it there needs to be more about the achievements of Blacks rather than the bad things (discrimination and slavery etc..).

For example, have you ever heard of Wentworth Cheswell 1768 elected to public office at a time of slavery
(edited 6 years ago)
Its a waste of time and resources.
Why would it be a bad thing?
Original post by mrwb9876
Its a waste of time and resources.


therefore all of history is a waste of time and resources? because that's basically what you're saying.
That is some US bullsh*t.

Americans normally come up with some stupid nonsense like this.

Why do we need a time of the month to acknowledge the achievements of Black Americans?

Black people are people like whites or Asians, not some special entity that needs to be celebrated once a month as a reminder of how great they are!:dry:
Original post by jenns_lifestyle
therefore all of history is a waste of time and resources? because that's basically what you're saying.


No, focusing on one group is though. Imagine the outrage if there was a white history month, or even an asian history month. This is no different
They have to be allocated a special month. Because then they'll get really, really mad
Yup

Firstly, I have to say, where I do have a problem with black history month is exactly that it is so slavery and civil rights oriented. The presentation of black history in its entirety is "oppressed to marginalised to less marginalised" is not only just factually incorrect, but it plays into the exact narrative that black people lack history, the very sort of rhetoric used in the past to justify discrimination, and the very sort of ignorant rhetoric used today.

Black history month does serve a minor educative purpose in my opinion, and it really should be done which shows not only do black people have an actual history, but in many cases it is the same history as white history. Huge strides in many aspects of history have been made my black people. There have been black composers in the form of Chevaliers de Saint Georges, a black leader of an entire Roman legion in the form of Saint Maurice. Even with the history of slavery, the role of the first black voter, Ignatius Sancho, in dispelling myths is understated. Not to mention the role of the Haitian Revolution in both furthering abolitionist movements and helping create the modern United States.

Many more things, from impressive structures like Sungbo's Eredo in Nigeria, to the richest man in history being the Mali Empire, etc. I could go on and on, but there are many aspects of black history which could just as well be in popular knowledge as "all history" . Remember as I stated, part of racism is this idea that black people are more primitive, and the sort of mental image of African history as being nothing but tribes and AIDS, as opposed to many enormous African empires as has actually been the case. Even if it's purely psychological, I believe there's definitely something to be said for dispelling myths and portrayals of black people and their history.

But if I'm going to be honest, the primary purpose of black history month for me, I think is similar to the reason LGBT Pride is a thing. Black people understand their history of oppression. Many black people have read about it, and we know for years we were literally commodities, and treated as animals. We also know that even afterwards, we were treated as less than human, and laws and measures were taken to marginalise black communities. Black people also know that there's to this day problems. A lot of it is small, stigma around things considered "black", to the fact things good traits aren't considered "black" in the first place, to large issues like disproportionate poverty and seeming institutional racism. There's currently the growth of the alt-right movement and things don't seem great.

So it's no surprise that you get black pride and black solidarity. Black solidarity was an **** you to a system at the time they felt was against them. The development of black culture, hip-hop, etc. was an opportunity for black people to actually be proud of something, and take pride in the fact they are black. The idea of black pride should definitely not have anything to do with perceived superiority and I could not agree less with those who think it does. It's more that being black has been an awful thing for centuries, so now's the time to actually take it in its stride.

That's where I think Black History Month should come in anyway. It's an opportunity to take pride in what I said above about black history, it's not just oppression, it's rich and full of tons of contributions to everyone's history. It's an opportunity to take pride in the development of black history from hip-hop to other aspects of black culture. It's a month to take pride in our history, culture and the fact that we are black. It offers an opportunity to showcase this pride to the rest of the world, offering an educative function to show black people are a lot more than they have been made to feel.

This is why it's not just all year round. I agree, an educative function all year round would be a lot better. But where? It's not going to appear in curriculums, in many cases for reasonable reasons. A month to draw attention to it offers a more realistic way of getting the message. But more importantly, the role black history month serves for black people I think is (or really should be) celebratory. An all year celebration loses its effect, just like having months for Pride or other events. Asking for a retribution for slavery is not really the point. It is a lot bigger than that, just like black history is a lot bigger than slavery.

I do have to add, this is pretty much my opinion. But I definitely support black history month.
Original post by mrwb9876
No, focusing on one group is though. Imagine the outrage if there was a white history month, or even an asian history month. This is no different


You wouldnt need a white History month because that is whats studied pretty much at all other times. No problem with Asian History month if you want one. Why would you have a problem with learning more?
Original post by 999tigger
You wouldnt need a white History month because that is whats studied pretty much at all other times. No problem with Asian History month if you want one. Why would you have a problem with learning more?


I have a problem with certain groups being given disproportionate attention. the reason white history is taught more is because it's more relevant to contemporary Britain and has had the largest impact on our country
Original post by mrwb9876
I have a problem with certain groups being given disproportionate attention. the reason white history is taught more is because it's more relevant to contemporary Britain and has had the largest impact on our country


To the exclusion of all other History?
Are there not Black people in the UK
Doesnt the role of Black people have anything to do with the History of the UK and the West?

Why is it disproportionate?
Original post by 999tigger
To the exclusion of all other History?
Are there not Black people in the UK
Doesnt the role of Black people have anything to do with the History of the UK and the West?

Why is it disproportionate?


It's disproportionate because it's being given a special platform and month. Any relevant history would have been taught before, black or not.
Original post by mrwb9876
It's disproportionate because it's being given a special platform and month. Any relevant history would have been taught before, black or not.


Isnt the whole point as stated above that it was neglected and only been taught as the slave history? Are you saying black people have no more significance than that?
It's offensive and belittling if you really think about it.
Original post by mrwb9876
It's disproportionate because it's being given a special platform and month. Any relevant history would have been taught before, black or not.


No reasonable advocate of black history month thinks it should have a "special" platform, and the fact that's it's disproportionate is irrelevant.

I would have no problems if there was an Asian History Month, Transsexual History Month, Demiqueer History month or whatever if people themselves set it up. It's celebrated, but none of it is mandated by the government. People have a right to celebrate what they want. Black history month an opportunity for black people to take pride in their history.

Complaining it's disproportionate or the "what about other history?" argument is like saying to the RSPCAA that their message has disproportionately got out relative to the suffering caused by pneumonia, or that they have disproportionate coverage. If others want to celebrate other history, do so. But complaining about black history month for this reason is silly.
I have no opposition to Black history being taught per se, but I worry that in creating one month for Black history we miss the real point that Black people are a part of our shared British history.
Original post by 999tigger
Isnt the whole point as stated above that it was neglected and only been taught as the slave history? Are you saying black people have no more significance than that?


Well then smaller events in white history should be taught too.
Original post by Ganjaweed Rebel
I have no opposition to Black history being taught per se, but I worry that in creating one month for Black history we miss the real point that Black people are a part of our shared British history.


Completely true...but then it's a trade off between pointing attention to it via black history month, or not pointing attention to this in order to stick to that principle, because outside of black history month not much of this is going to be heard at all.

I'd argue it's a pretty worthy trade off, not least because black history month for a lot of black people is a lot more than educating non-black people.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you