COLUMN: Black History Ain't Just 28 Days

From Jamil Smith's "Invisible Man," Fall '94 From Jamil Smith's "Invisible Man," Fall '94People, it is now March 3. February, the month designated as Black History Month, is over. Many events, concerts, and lectures were presented focusing on the achievements of Black Americans. Our sights were set back to the events that have led to where black people are now, at this University, in faculty and staff positions, and as students. Explain this to me like I'm a four-year old. Why is it that I as a black American am conditioned by this white-dominated society to believe that my history -- our history -- is only worthy of celebration in a 28-day period? It was a major accomplishment of previous generations of black Americans that Negro History Week, originally conceptualized by Dr. Carter Woodson as a celebration of Black history in the week of Lincoln's birthday, grew into a nationally recognized month-long celebration. However, in order to fully appreciate and gain value from this accomplishment, we must all -- meaning all races and cultures -- go beyond simply glancing at the facts about the "mainstream" black leaders such as Martin Luther King. Many people like to do this and consider the 15 to 30 minutes they spent in February as a true recognition of the accomplishments of black people. To them, it's a requirement they have to fulfill; a chore they have to do every twelve months. In terms of what I have observed, the white families that actually care enough to research Black history tend to only look at their books in February. In black families, the interest is definitely in full force during Black History Month, but once March comes, whatever was read begins to fade away and we end up not learning anything from our own heritage. Recycling whatever superficial facts we learn every year is not helpful; learning those facts is. Bob Marley once said in his song "Buffalo Soldier," "If you know your history, then you would know where you're coming from ? then you wouldn't have to ask me who de hell do I think I am." This saying can even help us here at the University. If we students learn as much Black history as we have white history, then people of other culture would be able to see where black students are coming from on several issues. People might begin to see the need for a DuBois House (for all undergraduate classes). People might begin to look upon the statements of black students as legitimate, not those of "fringe minorities." If they learn Black history, we could all use the knowledge of our collective past to create a better future. Am I being a little too optimistic? I certainly hope not. Although some white students' paranoid fear of the homeless men outside of WaWa makes me wonder. If they didn't focus on Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tupac Shakur, and drug dealers as icons of Black America and thought about singer Marian Anderson, poet Phyllis Wheatley (a true master of lyric), and several others like them more often, perhaps they might lessen their overblown fear of black people. If you haven't already done so, lessen your paranoia by going to the library and look up books about ancient Egyptian cultures. Or a book on the Underground Railroad. Or something about Black abolitionists. Anything. People, I know that many of you reading this right now are thinking that you don't have time to do this. Reminder: Spring Break starts tomorrow. I know it sounds crazy to you, but after you finish baking your brains in the Florida sun, do something constructive. Look up Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. It's one day's reading. Without a collective effort to learn Black history, we never can reach a common ground. Reflect on what, if anything, about Black history that you read about this past February. Did you read that Garrett Morgan invented the traffic signal? Did you read Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech? Did you read about Charles Drew? Jan Ernst Matziliger? Jean Baptiste DuSable? Did you read anything? Congratulations. But will you be able to tell someone about those people and events when summer vacation comes around? That's what I thought. Get your history books off their shelf dwellings and start learning, not just reading. The beginning of March doesn't mean you're allowed to let yourself forget all of that history so that you can review it superficially again next February. Learn it. Only then will you be able to concentrate on celebrating Black history instead of simply glancing at it. Jamil Smith is a freshman English and History major from Cleveland, Ohio. Invisible Man appears alternate Thursdays.