Thursday, Feb. 26, 1998
Remember black history all year
I took my daily stroll across campus, picked up The Daily Collegian and headed over to the HUB Fishbowl for my usual read and snooze. I started to read the Collegian, then I folded the newspaper and began to nod my head.
Laurian R. Bowles (lrb122@psu.edu) is a junior majoring in journalism and African American Studies and a Collegian columnist.
My head snapped up and my eyes opened. I beg to differ. Every
month is white history month. American history is equal to white
history, with a little bit of Martin Luther King Jr. thrown in
if they happen to cover the Civil Rights era. Classes do not talk
about Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X or the other people that white
America look upon as radical.
Although Black History Month is coming to a close, everyone must be reminded that black history cannot be crammed into 28 days for the simple fact that black history is as long as history itself. This country amassed its wealth on the backs of blacks slaves. Free labor makes it really easy to get rich.
The achievements are obvious on a daily basis. Garret A. Morgan
invented the traffic light in 1923. Next time you come to a stop
light, give thanks to the man. If February were the only month
we could use stop lights, we would all be in trouble. People would
be crashing Mom and Dad's precious vehicles into oncoming traffic.
When you woke up this morning, you probably combed your hair.
Say thank you to Walter Sammons for inventing the comb. Occasionally,
when you go class, you take notes. Say thank you to John Love
for the pencil sharpener and William Purvis for the fountain pen.
When you write home begging for money, say thanks to William Barry
for inventing the postmarking machine that gets that letter home
safely.
February is black history month, but we are merely scratching
the surface of this buried part of American history. February
should be our springboard, a jumping point into the wonderful
past that is important to all of us. Instead, it is one shining
month that leads to 11 other months of darkness. February is the
only time that this country send a message about the great worth
of African Americans to society.
One month out of the year blacks are affirmed, while during the
other 11, we are subjugated to the dominate culture. Then you
have people who wonder what the point of Black History Month is.
Realities of this commonplace ignorance comes back like a slap
to the face.
People celebrate it for 28 days. Corporations put out advertisements
and commercials telling us how they celebrate Black History Month.
Celebrate it by having African Americans in executive positions,
instead of the mail room. Celebrate it by speaking to someone,
instead of at someone.
Tell me you celebrate black history in August, instead of doing
a public relations stunt on television in February. Penn State
should follow these suggestions. There are events going on throughout
the month that show the capabilities of this school in the area
of diversity. But try it all year round. Have Earvin "Magic"
Johnson come in April and Dr. Cornel West in November. Don't try
cram it all into one month because that trivializes the importance
of black contributions.
February is the month of powerful events, ones that are significant to African Americans. February gave birth to Frederick Douglass and Rosa Parks as well as W.E.B Dubois. February was the starting point of greatness for these African American figures. Let is also be the start for our investigation into the significance of African Americans to American history and make every month Black History Month.
