"Racism is still alive, yellow tape and colored lines" - Kendrick Lamar
"Why isn't there a white history month?" I hear this question every year during black history month. Of course, the generic answer to this is "because every month is white history month." However, although this is a completely adequate response, the more important thing is that there does not need to be a white history month.
This simplified answer of why there doesn't need to be a white history month is much more complex. The creation of black history month was not intended to make people feel uncomfortable, but the fact that it does exposes deeper issues in society and racial culture. In today's media white is the racial default, for example in TV and movies there cannot be a cast of all colored people without it being considered a "black show," however if the cast is predominantly white it is not considered a "white show," rather just a regular show. The purpose of black history month is to create an open dialogue and discussion on racial issues as well as a broadening of education about achievements made by people of color.
History textbooks have been whitewashed in such a way that from start to finish the text focuses on the achievements of predominantly white men while leaving the history of minorities such as native americans, women, and people of color out. Their accomplishments and history are confined to a few chapters that discuss slavery, civil rights and suffrage. However, these under represented groups deserve recognition and their achievements should not be belittled based on race or gender.
No one learns about important African figures such as Crispus Attackus, a patriot who died in the Boston Massacre, but we all know Paul Revere. Men and women like Haile Selassie who led the independence movement in
Africa, or Wengari Maathai who led to the restoration of democracy in many African countries are overlooked while men like Donald
Trump are put in textbooks for doing nothing more than treating people poorly and being rich. There is more to America's history than the victimization of people of color and black history month should be a time to learn more about another culture and the achievements that these people have brought to society.
It is not racist to be proud of one's culture. Black history month,
Hispanic heritage month, Asian Heritage month, and other months dedicated to minorities are not to exclude white people. Rather they are in place to share in other people's cultures and this education and expression of culture would not happen if these months were not put in place. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your culture and wanting to share it with the world. Just as saying "Black Lives Matter" does not mean that white lives don't matter, black history month does not mean that white people have not made significant and major contributions to the world.
Black history month was not made to segregate them from white people, rather it was made to celebrate achievements and a culture that otherwise would not be celebrated.
