Dump black history month
So suggests Oscar winner Morgan Freeman. He brings up some very good points in the article below…
Million Dollar Question
Morgan asks about Black History Month.
Morgan Freeman thinks the whole idea of a month for black history is “ridiculous.†The African American actor tells Mike Wallace he is against a special month because it separates black history from American history and is part of a labeling process that abets racism.
60 MINUTES profiles the Oscar winner this Sunday on CBS.
“You’re going to relegate my history to a month?†Freeman asks Wallace in their discussion of black history month. After noting there is no “white history month,†he says, “I don’t want a black history month. Black history is American history,†he tells Wallace.
The notion of a special month for black history may be hurting rather than helping efforts for racial equality, believes Freeman. When Wallace wonders that without black history month, racism may be harder to stop and asks, “How are we going to get rid of racism?†Freeman retorts, “Stop talking about it!†(more…)
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What Freeman suggests in this article is actually the basis of this blog/website. There are some readers out there who may feel that I do not talk about racist acts enough. I say “We’ve talked about it enough!” As a member of the human race, I came to the conclusion long ago that racism in some form or fashion will always exist. Does this make it right? No. But should we continue to throw fuel on it by our chatter every time it happens? Again, no.
Although we live in a country that is not void of racism, it is no where near the levels of decades past. People that want to make the ridiculous claim that blacks are no better than 50 years ago show either or both of the following:
#They show their age and want to hold on to something that they think makes them relevant today.
#Hate black progress and never want to acknowledge it.
#Hate whites, regardless (in other words, they themselves are RACIST).
Consider this recent article:
Interracial Relationships Become More Common
Source: WSBTV.com
ALBANY, N.Y. — Interracial relationships and marriages are becoming more common in the United States, according to a new Cornell University study.
The number of interracial marriages jumped tenfold since the 1960s, though the older people are the less likely they are to be with someone of a different race, the study found.
“This trend reflects the increasing acceptance of interracial relationships in today’s society,” said study co-author Kara Joyner. (more…)
This definitely does not sound like the 1950’s to me. In fact, many blacks were told not to look a white person in the eye in those days (My mom has plenty of stories on that one). This is just one of many examples.
By sheer coincidence, I think that this posting along with the previous post make a good team (I’ll let you the reader see the connection).
As I mentioned before, I could list for you plenty of websites whose sole purpose is to give account for every racist infraction by white folks. Mainstream media isn’t any better. The next time you use Google news, do a search under Black, African-American. If you for some weird reason want to be depressed for the rest of the week, read the results of your search. Most of the entries are negative in nature (poor health, joblessness, murder, rape, etc.).
Not making racism the centerpiece of conversation does not mean that you are pretending it doesn’t exist. It simply means that you are not going to throw fuel on a less threatening fire.
Let’s face it, as I discussed in “Racism: The devil we can’t live without”, racism is big business in the country. There are too many salaries at stake if racism is removed as the centerpiece of black conversation. Just ask groups like the NAACP and the CBC.


December 16th, 2005 at 11:37 am
in most examples of white”athurity assist” of black history month…tv-shows roots and other slave situations. this example is repeated year after year by many other institutions in some form or another….they can
never find any of our heros fo history as MR. JOHN HENDRICKS CLARKE (sp?)
December 16th, 2005 at 6:31 pm
More foolishness.
If anything…Black History month needs to be expanded to every month…and trumpted…in order to counter the Arnold Toynbees of the world.
Lastly, no examples exists indicating that “if one stops talking about racism…it will stop.” How foolish.
History demonstrates that “It’s only when it is brought from the dark that racism decreases.” As long as it is not ILLUMINATED, it thrives.
Let’s see now…inter-ethnic marriages make up a little over 1% of all marriages…so the percentage has increased by about .005%. Big deal.
John L.
December 16th, 2005 at 6:45 pm
“racism is big business in the country. There are too many salaries at stake if racism is removed as the centerpiece of black conversation. Just ask groups like the NAACP and the CBC.”
Ridiculous.
Those salaries are like a “drip in an ocean”…compared to the astronomical amount of money whites make/save by 1) paying People of Color less money (if they have a job at all); 2) little or no benefits; 3) when Social Security was enacted, agricultural and domestic workers were not included…and those two occupations were the jobs Blacks were concentrated in; etc.
Referring to the salaries made by NAACP, etc., officials, is a mighty weak argument, if it can be classified as “an argument.”
Typical Duane (WFN).
John L.
December 16th, 2005 at 7:41 pm
Lastly, no examples exists indicating that “if one stops talking about racism…it will stop.†How foolish.
I agree. One thing though…
I never said that. Neither is Freeman suggesting that if you place the excerpt you chose and keep it in context.
History demonstrates that “It’s only when it is brought from the dark that racism decreases.†As long as it is not ILLUMINATED, it thrives.
So please explain how after 50 years of ILLUMINATION that we are no better off as a people according to you and others?
Those salaries are like a “drip in an oceanâ€Â…compared to the astronomical amount of money whites make/save by 1) paying People of Color less money (if they have a job at all); 2) little or no benefits; 3) when Social Security was enacted, agricultural and domestic workers were not included…and those two occupations were the jobs Blacks were concentrated in; etc.
I noticed that you did not consider the education level of blacks versus whites as this plays a major role in rate of salary and type of job.
December 17th, 2005 at 10:02 am
Racism should be noted and pointed out when it happens. The problem in recent history has been that racism has been redefined and now it seems few people recognize real racism when it happens.
When the defineing of racism has been taken to the extreem it has then real racism doesn’t draw the attention and outrage it should. Real racism becomes less noticed and important when time is wasted on the PC.
This has also helped, but not contributed alone, to the the new victim mentality in America. Everyone in America is now a victim, One person may be a victim because they are black, another because they are gay, another for this and another for that.
If everyone is a victim then it becomes much harder to know who the real victims are and where we as a society should be focusing in an effort to stop injustice.
My 2 cents for whatever it is worth….
December 18th, 2005 at 5:01 am
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH ~MASTER FARD MUHAMMAD~ THE GREAT MHADI
As-Salaam Alaikum,
Morgan Freeman is like most slaves, seeking the path-of-least resistance! It takes time and effort to (labor) to make the kinds of corrective measures required to set the record straight regarding BLACK HISTORY. Of course, according to our achievements and time on this planet EVERY DAY should be
“BLACK HISTORY DAY (24/7/365) Whether or not we incorporate this fact into our daily lives in order to teach and inform our people is up to us! “Black History” month is only a focal point!
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT!
As-Salaam Alaikum,
Morgan Freeman, like so many of our people (freed- slaves), seek the path-of-least resistance when it comes to that which requires dilligence, dedication and work ! The time and effort to (labor) its tkaes to make the kinds of corrective measures required to set the record straight regarding BLACK HISTORY can be daunting.
Does not the lesson of Katrina teach us that we are regarded as part and parcile of America! Citizens DO NOT have to BEG to receive “CIVIL RIGHTS!”
EVERY DAY should be “BLACK HISTORY DAY (24/7/365) Whether or not we incorporate this fact into our daily lives in order to teach and inform our people is up to us! “Black History” month is only a focal point, a point of demarcation and discussion which should inspires us to learn more and do better as Nation of People.
As-Salaam Alaikum, ARS
ALL PRAISE IS DUE ALLAH
December 18th, 2005 at 7:10 am
“Black History†month is only a focal point, a point of demarcation and discussion which should inspires us to learn more and do better as Nation of People.
If this was happening on a very wide scale, then I could easily agree with most of your point. The fact is that most of our young people today know very little of our history beyond the civil rights era. Black folks are lowest among other races when it comes to reading habits just on a casual scale.
If we are not collectively brushing up on our history 11 months out of the year, why should we pretend that its being done in one month?
If we as a people want to know how serious we take black history month, just ask most black 10 year olds about anything in black history beyond the 1950s.
We can also talk about the many black museums across America that are struggling financially. They cannot survive off of one month worth of partial interest. Sad but true.
December 19th, 2005 at 7:54 pm
While listening to a reply of this today on the Dennis Prager show (I believe you made mention of it in your post as well) Freeman said is there a Jewsih History month, the answer was no.
Well, seems there soon may be such a month.
http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=5899
So…
how many history months do we need?
Isn’t it a fact that people of all races and all religions have contributed to this nation?
Why the need to point to what one race, religion or people of a general skin color have done for this nation? Why the focus on groups instead of individuals?
If our focus is to be on groups of persons, then where are the national disgrace months?
The KKK could be part of a White disgrace month.
The crips or Tookie Willimas a part of Black disgrace month…
The people of the Aztlan movement a part of Latino disgrace month….
It’s all foolishness and keeps this nation divided along class lines, racial lines, religious lines…
Foolishness all.
December 20th, 2005 at 7:16 am
Duane wrote: “The fact is that most of our young people today know very little of our history beyond the civil rights era.”
John L: Are our young people the majority of us? You can’t use an exception to make a case for the majority. (for example, the majority of Blacks doesn’t listen to rap music)
John L.
December 20th, 2005 at 7:31 am
Duane wrote: “#Hate whites, regardless (in other words, they themselves are RACIST).”
John L.: A racist is defined as someone who believes that “there are both inferior and superior groups of humans, and that physical charateristics, i.e., skin color, eye shape, hair texture, are indicators of *innate* capabilities, such as intelligence, temperament, etc.”
Hence, Duane is wrong again.
JCL
December 20th, 2005 at 7:35 am
Duane wrote: “If we are not collectively brushing up on our history 11 months out of the year, why should we pretend that its being done in one month?”
John L.: More and more people are investigating their genealogy, visiting Black History museums, etc.
John L.
December 20th, 2005 at 8:05 am
Keith wrote: “So…how many history months do we need?”
John L.: Go find the reason Black History Month was implemented…and let us know.
John L.
December 20th, 2005 at 10:30 am
What an embarrassment to Black America! Morgan UncleTom Freeman, if you don’t value Black culture and our history, get the hell out of the way. don’t deprive our people, especially our youth the national opportunity to learn, be proud and joyful of who they are past and present.
White Amerikkka needs to learn as well. While many if not most of them could care less of black history month, it’s essential to the cohesion of our country nad the eventual extinction of racism (an albeit impossible goal).
There’s more to live than what goes on in the Mississippi corn and cottenfields.
December 20th, 2005 at 11:34 am
John L.: A racist is defined as someone who believes that “there are both inferior and superior groups of humans, and that physical characteristics, i.e., skin color, eye shape, hair texture, are indicators of *innate* capabilities, such as intelligence, temperament, etc.â€Â)
And I guess black folks are of course innocent of this. In fact we are blameless of ANY wrongdoing.
John L.: More and more people are investigating their genealogy, visiting Black History museums, etc.
I do and like I said in this posting many of these museums are strapped for cash.
Then again, that is white folks responsibility, right?
John, just admit–you hate white people. I think you would get a little more respect from me if you would just be real to that fact. We go back and forth with this stuff all the time and still you give off the impression that black folks are always the victim and never do anything wrong. In the meantime if anybody brings up a hint of truth about black folks, you are quick to excuse it at every turn no matter how much truth is presented to you.
You can keep posting your comments on this site, but I am getting a little tired of this gross oversight on your part. Black folks do a lot of things right everyday, and I try to capture that on this site. But to not talk about the things we are not addressing because of embarrassment is just self-destructive.
This is why I would prefer you admit your bias and move on. It will make our exchanges more productive than what we have today.
December 20th, 2005 at 11:42 am
What an embarrassment to Black America! Morgan UncleTom Freeman, if you don’t value Black culture and our history, get the hell out of the way.
Please tell me WHERE Freeman is suggesting that he does not value black history?
don’t deprive our people, especially our youth the national opportunity to learn, be proud and joyful of who they are past and present.
If black parents are not teaching their kids black history 11 months out of the year, please tell me how one month of the same will make the difference?
White Amerikkka needs to learn as well. While many if not most of them could care less of black history month, it’s essential to the cohesion of our country nad the eventual extinction of racism (an albeit impossible goal).
So we solve all of this by making white folks read our history?
Racism is not eliminated by historical knowledge. It is eliminated when people decide to start hating others because of the color of their skin.
ill
December 20th, 2005 at 3:01 pm
It’s a shame how black history is continuously shafted in this society. There are obviously a lot of reasons why this is the case…many of which are racist in origin…but I also believe in many cases the less people hear about something the less they will care to find out.
People know an extensive amount about European history and ‘traditional’ American history but few and far between know anything about Black history. This is really sad because Black history should interest all Americans being that African Americans contributed to the prominence of this country. I think the best we can do in terms of developing a more adequate form of Black History is to continue to enlighten and expose information to the public.
For example, The New-York Historical Society in Manhattan is running an exhibit called Slavery in New York that reveals the City’s often hidden history of slavery. Being a New York resident I know New Yorkers, white and black alike, who are in the dark about slavery really existing in the North. Most believe that it either solely existed in the South or that slavery in the North was less oppressive. This exhibit has made a bold and rare move in the right direction and now there is an open dialogue taking place about slavery in NY.
Hopefully other institutions will follow in the New-York Historical Society’s footsteps and continue to inform the public about America’s true history. There is a dire need for many to realize that African Americans are a major component of what American history is and was.
September 30th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
As a young person, I understand that people worked diligently so that we can have black history month.I respect them for that. Yet I don’t understand why should we ignore our history the other 11 months of the year then when black history month come we are always trying to tell our history. Parents should not wait until this month to tell of the contributions that african americans have made to society.Then it is always the same people, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks,Harriet Tubman,etc. I know there are the Paul Laurence Dubars, the Zora Neal Hurstons, the others that are forgotten or looked over. This lack of interest in our own culture leaves room for self hatred. Where there is no vision the people shall perish and we see that as a result of the loss of knowing our history and more.I feel that if you are black 24/7 then you should want to know about your history. Don’t leave the job up to other to learn your history, seek it for yourself and others.