Black History, My History, Our History

During Black History month we celebrate the many accomplishments of African Americans.  This time has always been exciting for me.  That is to say I have always looked forward to hearing and reading about my African American heroes.  I must confess, as an African American, that I have mixed feelings about celebrating Black History Month.  For the past two years I have been researching the history of the people of color in this country.

I grew up in a foster home for the age of 9 thru 18 when I graduated from high school.  My mother had passed away when I was 15 and my father, who I just met weeks before my graduation, was not in my life at all.  I had no clue of my family history.  A DNA search revealed that I am 90% African, 8.5% European, and 1.5% Asia.  This made me curious about the African slave trade, which is most likely how my people got to this country.

I conducted research and I found more about the history of America in 6 months than I ever learned in school.  The most eye-opening discovery for me was that the topic of slavery is one that most Americans do not want to engage in.  In her book White Fragility, Dr. Robin DiAngelo says that this topic is part of “the most complex, nuance social dilemma since the beginning of this country.”  When we talk about African Americans in history, we tell how they overcame the obstacles and struggles but where did these obstacles and struggles originate?  Many whites are uncomfortable talking about this because of the shame it brings.  Many African Americans struggle with discussing this for the same reason, shame.  Many African Americans do not want to remember what happened to their people here in America.  African Americans have also learn that it is not a safe topic to discuss around whites because of shame.  This is part of what Dr. Joy Degruy calls post traumatic slave syndrome.

Last summer my wife and I attended a weekend workshop at Princeton University by Dr. Degruy.  This workshop featured her book Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome.  The workshop was designed for people who work with African American communities.  We were able to come away with tools to help the people we work with in the inner-city where we serve.

My mixed feelings about Black History Month comes from the idea of me getting excited about learning black history in February, as if I am not allowed to study the history of people of color any other time.  Why don’t we just add the accomplishments of African Americans chronologically in our teaching of history?  On the other hand, I do like that there is a month dedicated to celebrating black history.  I came to the sobering conclusion that one of the reasons we celebrate black history month is because of shame.  In 1926 Carter G. Woodson, (I am not sure if I am related), started National Negro History week during the week of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays, which were in February.  Woodson did this to promote the accomplishments of African Americans in history.  In the 1960’s African Americans began to celebrate the month of February as Black History Month.  In 1976 President Gerald Ford recognized February as Black History month.  Every US president since Ford has also designated February as Black History month.

Where is the shame of Black History month?  Well let’s take the story of one well know black American that we often talk about during black history, Jackie Robinson.  Robinson is known for breaking the color barrier in baseball.  The shame is that there was a color barrier to break.  Whites felt that blacks were not as good as them on the field.  On April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson took the field for the first time in the “Major League.”  Robinson was shunned by his teammates and fans until they realized that he was helping the Dodgers win.  Majority culture (white people) make the rules on what is acceptable in our society.  Whites said it was ok for blacks to play baseball now African Americans can compete on the same level as whites.  This is the same when it comes to celebrating history.  Whites said it was ok as a country to celebrate the accomplishment of blacks in February and that is shameful to me.  I feel shame for not knowing what the “middle passage” was all about until 2018.  How can that be?  I am well educated.  I graduated from high school with an advance diploma.  I went to college for four years at a HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and received a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education.  I’ve earned three master’s degrees since 2009, two of which are in education.

With all of those years of learning I still had conduct research on my own to find out about the true history of America and African Americans.  My encouragement comes from the scriptures Romans 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.  Christ died so that we don’t have to feel the shame and guilt of our past.  God wants us to stand with our heads held high on the rock of our salvation, Jesus.  It is on that rock we can find forgiveness, and freedom from shame.