The Whitening of Black History

Jim999 · (#1 (**permalink**))

This post lifted from another forum.

[size=The Whitening of Black History].

By Jumasa

[size=The mis-educated Negro joins the opposition with the objection that the study of the Negro keeps alive questions which should be forgotten. The Negro should cease to remember that he was once held a slave, that he has been oppressed, and even that he is a Negro. The traducer, however, keeps before the public such aspects of this history as will justify the present oppression of the race.]

Dr. Carter G. Woodson 1875-1950

February has passed and with it, the time to make significant mention of the history of African people. It is quite evident that a knowledge of history is required for an understanding of the past, necessary to build a strong future. The point here, is to emphasize that while European peoples (white) History continue to serve an educational function, African peoples (Black) History has merely a celebratory function and purpose. The absence of an adequate and continuous History curriculum amply explains why the future of African people balances so precariously on the edge of a precipitous extinction.

Dr. Carter. G. Woodson founded Black History Week as a counter force to a socio-culture saturated with the lies, fabrications and contrivances of white supremacys definitions of African people. Within European based culture, educational curriculums, at all levels, fashionably planted the roots of African people in a 400 year history beginning with slavery. Such curriculums invariably discuss slavery as though it were natural state of African peoples, (slaves/not people came from Africa) carefully avoiding any mention that the condition of African enslavement was instituted by an international criminal enterprise which included rape, murder, kidnaping, robbery, plunder and genocide, orchestrated and executed by the very prominent, distinguished and honorable members of white society, many of whom are still revered today as their nations heroes.

But Black history is not just the record of events associated with Black people. It is rather the truth of the development of human civilization which finds its origin in Africa, where civilization was raised to such monumental heights of achievement, many of which are yet to be matched by todays modern accomplishments. But the term Black History was coined, because the story of human civilization, (usually called World History or Western Civilization) as told by the dominating white culture, sought to validate the superiority of whites by eliminating the contributions of Africans, and trivializing the significance of African people to the emergence, growth and development of human civilization, giving rise to what is practically white history. In effect, History was a story that left the message that the founders and only significant contributors to the development of human civilizations were whites. So Black History is as much a counter force to white history as it is a revelation of truth.

Today, although the month of February is supposedly reserved for the acknowledgment of Black History, the observance has lost its thrust and direction as the counter force initially intended by its founder. Of the few short days permitted for the recognition of Black History, much of the time is wasted on celebration and ceremony which have nothing to do with acquiring adequate knowledge of the history of African people. To the extent that mention is made of the achievements and accomplishments of African people, it is from the view that Black people are late comers to the scene of human civilization and owe their humanhood to their association and interaction with whites. In this context, the inhumanity of slavery and its perpetrators is sharply overlooked and the courage and ingenuity of African people in dealing with the conditions of enslavement are given short thrift. There is hardly a hint that, subsequent to the institution of slavery, the focus and direction of African people was, and continues to be, defined by a struggle against white supremacy and racist oppression. But the current tenor of Black History month appear to suggest, and seems to be more of an admonition that this part of the struggle is over.

What is most heavily emphasized, is that this peculiar relationship (slavery), enabled African people to acquire the opportunity, awareness, incentive, knowledge and inspiration to rise above their inferiority. Of course, this is the perspective that whites, who have permitted the observance of Black History in public places (schools, libraries etc.), would like to continue to promote. And why not ? It is afterall a perspective which reinforces the concept of black inferiority.

It is nothing short of tragic that black people will feature significantly in this type of denigration of black people in the observance of Black History Month. Of the many gatherings that will convene in schools, colleges, universities, churches and other arenas, only a few will bring the appropriate view of Black History to the forum. For the most part, speakers at the forum will take black people on a sentimental journey of blacks who overcame their inferiority to receive the recognition, accolades and acceptance of whites, thereby bringing credibility to the race. The speaker is usually one such black. The real story of African people, a story which challenges the very foundations of the philosophy of white superiority and prepares students to challenge the authenticity of white supremacy, is one which the status quo finds frightening and offensive and is therefore cautiously avoided. So to calm white fears, avoid white anger and retaliation, and to ingratiate themselves to whites, many a black history lecturer compromise the truth and make truncated and distorted presentations of the events surrounding the lives of black people. So this Black History Month, like the ones in recent years, has seen the proliferation of the images of African Americans plastering the walls of classrooms and television screens. There is a hub of activity about honoring great black people. So-called successful black community leaders make the rounds at forums collecting healthy speakers fees, political mileage, or social prominence. With few exceptions, many of these speakers, teachers and community leaders would not have breached the cover of a book by a Black author or historian.

So February has passed and, as usual, Black History will not have been asserted as education for liberation. The fact that black people were the first to study and implement the arts, sciences and all the disciplines upon which human civilization is based, will be ignored. Too many presentations will restrict their focus to blacks who had done something, achieved something or acquired some status in white society, and treat this achievement as though it were the first time that any black person had done something important or significant. Too many presentations will speak of a black struggle as though the struggle was against some abstract condition which created itself. They will purposely fail to identify the struggle as a response to oppressive conditions created by the whites. They will fail to identify that the instrumentalities against which blacks have long struggled are still with us today, the same in substance though different in form. They will fail to identify the need for a continued collective struggle and the need for the contribution of each to the liberation of all. They will presume that as African people in America, we enjoy a special kind of freedom and thus there is no further need for a collective struggle but only for individual fulfilment. They will leave the impression that those who initiated the struggle were first brought to humanhood by their presence in white America. They will leave the impression that those being honored are, (like the speaker), exceptions to the rule of black inferiority. And finally, we will be admonished that the burden is upon each of us to overcome our inferiority and take advantage of the special blessings of America. Though not said in specific words, the impressionable youngster or even older person will receive the message that blacks are fundamentally inferior unless each one proves that he/she is an exception. These are the types of programs whites are comfortable with and to which white institutions and philanthropists willingly subscribe - programs which reinforce the inferiority of African people.

The fact that a concept initiated for the benefit of black people can, (with the assistance, endorsement and cooperation of black people), be so easily transformed for the benefit of whites, is more than ample evidence of our continued captivity and disorientation. To the predictable chagrin of its founder and in direct opposition to what he tried to promote, Black history turns out to be a reinforcement of black inferiority. And as we say when the objectives of our worthy ancestors are so grossly adulterated, " Dr. Carter G. Woodson must be turning in his grave".

If you have comments about this commentary, Send E-mail to : Jumasa@aol.com .