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ATLANTA -- They were born long after the Jim Crow laws that officially divided American society were banished to history's dustbin. Their lives began more than 20 years after Martin Luther King was assassinated, and just 20 years before the nation elected the first black president.
ATLANTA -- They were born long after the Jim Crow laws that officially divided American society were banished to history's dustbin. Their lives began more than 20 years after Martin Luther King was assassinated, and just 20 years before the nation elected the first black president.
Black History is American history. Judging by the ignorance in some of these threads, we as a country could use it. You are using over a dozen household products invented by black men and women.
Black History is American history. Judging by the ignorance in some of these threads, we as a country could use it. You are using over a dozen household products invented by black men and women.
Agreed. What's sad is that the usual curriculum in school doesn't automatically talk about these great black people any other time of the year except in February. And it's usually the same folks (King, Tubman, Parks, etc). Would be great if lesser-known black folks are discussed. You don't get that history until college if you choose to take an AA history course.
Black History is American history. Judging by the ignorance in some of these threads, we as a country could use it. You are using over a dozen household products invented by black men and women.
Name these products. Why is it important that they were invented ny black people?
[quote=uggabugga;33628706]Name these products. Why is it important that they were invented ny black people?[/quote]
It is important because many black youth don't think that black people contributed anything to society. So it lets them know that we have a storied history as inventors and business people.
A couple things off the top of my head:
The traffic light - invented by Garret Morgan - he invented A LOT of things
The light bulb filament - invented by Louis Lattimer - Thomas Edison's bulb would not have worked without Lattimer's contribution
Peanut Butter - George Washington Carver - he found a lot of uses for peanuts and was a renowned scientist
Henry Blair - invented the spark plug
There are a lot of newer inventions also from black people but those from the past especially get lost in translation. Most people don't know much about black inventors.
In regards to the OP - I do still think Black History Month is needed. I agree in that black history is American history but too much focus of our country's history is not about all Americans and is only about white Americans.
I agree with ChocLot as well that too much focus on Black History Month is always focused on the same old same old black figures. Though I appreciate their contributions, I would love it if schools and programs would focus more on little known black history. I was happy that my daughter's school was doing something recently about Garret Morgan and the traffic light. I found out that he was from the same town as my great grandfather!! As a genealogist, that was exciting to me. Morgan also made his adult home in Ohio and I am from Ohio. Luckily already knew this about him but he is the 2nd famous black Ohioan that I know of who is from (or has family from) the same area as my great grandfather. Paul Laurence Dunbar is another. It would be great if he were talked about more in black history month, especially as it relates to education. Dunbar went to high school with the Wright Brothers but was denied many job opportunities as young man due to being black and I think it is important to inform children, especially black children about all the opportunities we now have versus talented black youth in the past and to be grateful for it and take advantage of it.
The only people I hear complaining about Black History Month and other similar concepts are old white men who ridiculously believe they are suddenly a minority and don't like it that whatever they say isn't automatically what goes anymore.
The only people I hear complaining about Black History Month and other similar concepts are old white men who ridiculously believe they are suddenly a minority and don't like it that whatever they say isn't automatically what goes anymore.
Honor the inventor and his/her accomplishments regardless of race. Did the black race discover 300 uses for peanuts? No, George Washington Carver did, for example.
Last edited by CaseyB; 02-25-2014 at 11:23 AM..
Reason: language
When was it decided that "Black History Month" was EVER needed?
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