Black history should be integrated into our educational system at all levels, which would eliminate the need for the monthlong celebration in February, diversity expert Trudy Bourgeois writes at the Huffington Post.
… Black History Month needs to go away. And it should have gone away a long time ago. Are you shocked I would say such a thing? Well, let me pose a question: Do we have White History Month? No, we do not.
In 1926, historian Carter Wooden announced the second week of February as Negro History Week. In 1976, it was adopted as Black History Month by the federal government. Woodson, however, initiated the week back in 1926 with the hope that it would eventually be eliminated when black history became a fundamental part of American history.
Just as white history is fundamental to American history.
Black history, as well Hispanic history and others, need to be integrated into our educational system and curricula and taught at all levels. Not just during one month of the year. And not just as a sidebar feature in a textbook.
The contributions of African Americans simply are not authentically integrated into our society. People are still shocked by the contributions of African Americans … as if they're not capable! And THAT must change.
For example, I've been around five decades (give or take a few), and I JUST learned about the black women who played a role in every war in U.S. history. I've asked several other people (of various ages and backgrounds) if they'd ever heard about or been taught this. None had. How is that possible?
Read Trudy Bourgeois' entire piece at the Huffington Post.
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