I thought it would be interesting to see if and what people are doing for Black History Month. I am trying to get us in for a tour of the Sotterley Plantation in Hollywood, Maryland. It is an 18th century mansion that housed one of the largest communities of African-American slaves in this area. It also has an original slave cabin. My son is too young to really learn anything from this, but I thought it would be a great educational experience for myself and my husband who is fairly new to the country. I'm a history lover anyway, especially when I can actually visit an historical site, it always feels so eerie. We are still trying to figure out what else to do as well, so I'm hoping to get other ideas.
If you'd like to, share what you and your family are doing or where you are going. If you have nothing planned, maybe it would be a good time to do so. Ironically, as someone else pointed out to me, they decided to make February, the SHORTEST month of the year, Black History Month, so get out there and take advantage of great learning opportunities before March comes. Show your support of our African-American brothers and sisters.
Mrs. Khan
Honeslty not much this year as my son is pretty young. Maybe when he is older Ill think activities but I plan on teaching the culture & history of all races so I dont know how I will go about it. Being a Civil War buff I want to take him to Charleston where Fort Morris use to be (the movie Glory was based on what happen there, & the African American unit that fought there)
Quoting Malapertinent:
I am still trying to figure out how it is we live in a society that has to have separate holidays to honor a race.
Won't it be great to just have a holiday, recognition for being humans?
Because white history is taught all school year....black people are and were amazing and have contributed a crap load to man kind...One month is really not enough...and a short month at that....
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I think a holiday for being human is great idea. And I used to totally agree with you on this seperate holiday thing. But now I see the purpose for it. Black people in this country have a much different history than white people do, or even any other races who have come to this country. Black people have struggled so much in this country and we should recognize that and celebrate their triumphs. The fact of the matter is that there are still a lot of problems for black people in this country. The Civil Rights movement didn't just happen over night, it's still happening and it is still a struggle for the African Americans here. Unfortunately, they don't teach us in school what we should know about slavery and the civil rights movement.
Black history month is a great time for people (especially white people) to really look into what happened and what is still happening. Yes, we are all human, but Americans didn't always feel that way, a lot still don't. This is not just a holiday for black people, most of them know about the history of their people, it is a holiday for all Americans. Yes, it's painful for us to dig up these terrible things that we as a nation did to the Africans, but it is necessary. While we are at it, I think we need to have a Native American history month. These are two groups of people that we treated horribly in order to get what we wanted (land, free labor, etc..)
We should be learning about this all year round, but if we still need to designate a specific month to do it, well, as long as it gets done.
Quoting Malapertinent:
I am still trying to figure out how it is we live in a society that has to have separate holidays to honor a race.
Won't it be great to just have a holiday, recognition for being humans?
Mrs. Khan
Well said Mrs. Khan, and I would add that BHM is a supplementary month of education and does not infringe upon nor replace any other curriculum in schools. There is nothing wrong with teaching about a historically marginalized group of people during the month of February (or any other month for any other heritage). Yes, we are all human, but homogenizing people serves no purpose either. Diversity should be celebrated not pushed to a fringe or stamped out all together.
Quoting mrs_khan07:
I think a holiday for being human is great idea. And I used to totally agree with you on this seperate holiday thing. But now I see the purpose for it. Black people in this country have a much different history than white people do, or even any other races who have come to this country. Black people have struggled so much in this country and we should recognize that and celebrate their triumphs. The fact of the matter is that there are still a lot of problems for black people in this country. The Civil Rights movement didn't just happen over night, it's still happening and it is still a struggle for the African Americans here. Unfortunately, they don't teach us in school what we should know about slavery and the civil rights movement.
Black history month is a great time for people (especially white people) to really look into what happened and what is still happening. Yes, we are all human, but Americans didn't always feel that way, a lot still don't. This is not just a holiday for black people, most of them know about the history of their people, it is a holiday for all Americans. Yes, it's painful for us to dig up these terrible things that we as a nation did to the Africans, but it is necessary. While we are at it, I think we need to have a Native American history month. These are two groups of people that we treated horribly in order to get what we wanted (land, free labor, etc..)
We should be learning about this all year round, but if we still need to designate a specific month to do it, well, as long as it gets done.
Quoting Malapertinent:
I am still trying to figure out how it is we live in a society that has to have separate holidays to honor a race.
Won't it be great to just have a holiday, recognition for being humans?
We don't do anything special for BHM. I do not like to teach my kids that history should be seperated according to race or anything ele. Our school does not do anything special either.
Eight Year Old Girl Given "Catastrophe Award" By Teacher
Are you on any medication? Do you feel drugs are pushed on Americans?
- mrs_khan07
on Feb. 1, 2010 at 10:34 PM