Today marks the first day of Black History Month. From the days of slavery, our current society has transformed black culture into one of respect and fairness. There is clearly much work to accomplish if we truly want full equality regardless of race. Whites encounter more opportunities compared to blacks; in addition, whites earn significantly greater than blacks do. The world we live in is not a perfect place, but we might as well try to strive to make it the best possibly can. To increase black awareness, it's important to learn from history's mistakes so that we don't make the same mistake in the future.
Morgan Freeman once said on 60 Minutes, "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history." What he says is absolutely true; black history is and always will be an important piece of American history. The struggle for freedom and equality has been permanently etched into America and its past. However, I believe that it is essential to have a time for all of America to remember its history and reflect on its wrongdoings. Without a black history month, we lose an important highlight on one of America's proudest accomplishments: the eventual equality of races. However, the problem is that many still view black history as inferior to white history when they should be both fundamental and equal elements of American history.
Let me tell you a story. My cousin down in Texas told me that the school district refuses to call the third Monday of January MLK Day; rather, they simply call it a student holiday, thus taking away the impact of such a key figure in American history. However, not only did he revolutionize American society, but he also advocated for peaceful protesting to unite Americans, black and white alike, in a common goal to make the world better for the generations to come. By taking away this holiday, Texas demonstrates that they approve of white superiority over blacks in a country that supposedly advocates for equal opportunity and success. Obviously, it is extremely disturbing that Texas still lives in the past and refuses to view blacks on the same level as whites. Ultimately, we are all human beings, whether white or black or yellow or blue, and that's all that matters.
Wow Vincent, great connection in the last paragraph. Thats horrible that Texas still refuses to live in the modern day and accept that society has changed. Also, great integration of Morgan Freeman into your text. I really enjoyed reading this Vincent!
ReplyDeleteGood post Vincent! Your personal anecdote was a nice touch, and I also like how you incorporated Black History month in your post.
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