Every month is White History Month: Black History Month is vital for a just, inclusive society
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February is Black History Month. One of my students asked a question many may be considering but are afraid to verbalize: “Why don’t we have a White History Month?”
It’s a good question that merits a thoughtful response. When we look at the social studies textbooks used in our schools, we see a largely Eurocentric perspective. Students learn about feudalism, the Industrial Revolution, the French Revolution and Napoleon. They learn about the Age of Exploration and the colonization of the world by European powers. With new social studies curricula in recent years, teachers certainly have more flexibility as to the topics they cover in class, but truthfully, our schools remain largely Eurocentric.
Why do we know so little about the rest of the world? Because history tends to be written by the victors. Europeans had weapons and immunity to diseases that allowed them to decimate other populations around the world. They wrote about this as a “glorious conquest” that was not questioned until quite recently. By teaching history this way, we have inadvertently told our students that “might makes right,” and that European cultures are superior to others.
 Black History Month offers a chance to explore the resilience and contributions of Black leaders, artists, and thinkers. |
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We are only now coming to understand how dangerous this perspective is, especially as we see the disintegration of the international rule of law and a world once again moving toward global conflict. Perhaps understanding effective resistance to violence and force is the key to averting disaster.
I have had the tremendous privilege of studying, living and working with colonized peoples in Asia, Africa and North America. They have all taught me the same thing: no one can take away another person’s dignity unless handed over to them. Most people maintain their dignity and, in doing so, recognize the goodness of their traditional way of life. In Canada, we are inspired by our Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. As we apply their ideals in our educational and other institutions, we see our country evolving into what promises to be a kinder, more just and more effective society.
I learned similar lessons when I lived in Africa. I consider Patrice Lumumba’s speech on the day of Congolese independence in 1960 the finest discourse ever delivered in the French language. It summarizes the brutality of Belgian colonialism, the steadfastness of the Congolese spirit, and a willingness to deal with Europeans as equals.
Of course, Europeans always sought out Africans who were willing to hand over their dignity for a price. These men collaborated with Belgians and Americans, and a mere seven months after becoming prime minister of his country, Lumumba was brutally murdered. A key player was Mobutu Sese Seko, the man whose dictatorship I experienced firsthand when I lived in Kinshasa, the same city where Lumumba had delivered his inspiring message.
This is but one of the innumerable and powerful stories that make up Black history. Not only are there great writers and orators like Marcus Garvey, W.E.B. Du Bois, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin and Cornel West, but there are inspiring political leaders like Thomas Sankara and Kwame Nkrumah. Art and music provide a vision that colonial domination was never able to suppress, as we hear in the voices of Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith. Great athletes like Muhammad Ali and Colin Kaepernick, to name but a few, have sacrificed their careers and used their platforms to change the world and inspire us to be our best selves.
The simplest reply to my student’s question is: “Because every month is already White History Month, and we need to draw attention to aspects of history that are frequently ignored.”
The pages of human history that exemplify overcoming colonial dominance with dignity have been sorely lacking in our curriculum. It serves all of us well to explore the richness and power of Black history.
Gerry Chidiac specializes in languages and genocide studies and works with at-risk students. He received an award from the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre for excellence in teaching about the Holocaust.
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Thank you, Gerry!