Why Study Black History?
For an assignment, English 11 & 12 students responded to the following question: Why study Black History? Here is a sampling of their thoughtful responses:
From 5th Period:
"... African American history is too important to be checked off a long list of educational objectives. If African American history was studied all year long, children would recognize it as part of American history. Of course children know who Harriet Tubman was, and Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr., but they learn about them only about three times a year... If African American history was taught like American history, then children would have a more complete picture of African American history. African American history is a very important topic to which we should devote more time studying than just a month... "
"... Frederick Douglass came out of a rough past. He was a slave himself and stood up for his culture and his people. A movement went on and black people started standing up for equality and for respect on themselves and it started going up from there. What I can for sure learn is that black people are very good people, they have a unique culture, and they deserve equal respect as any other person in this world... "
From 6th Period:
Mark Covaliuc: "Studying history is very important because we can build on what we learn about and avoid making the same mistakes... When we talk about or study Black History, the history behind slavery and black people, we often find ourselves on a very thin line. This topic could be very sensitive to many people and not only to the people of color; however, I believe it’s still highly important to properly inform and guide children because they, we, are the future of our society and the world. Perhaps if somebody back then decided to teach people about discrimination and the cruelty of slavery back then, we wouldn't even have to discuss it now because the concept of it being evil and unethical would be interbonded into our DNA. Until that moment arrives, we should as one race, keep progressing towards the equality of ALL human beings, and keep teaching and relearning the history and what happened to the people of color and the unethicality of it all. Kids should understand from a young age that we really are all the same on the inside."
Julia Kozak: "I personally think that studying Black History would be a good thing because it would help educate and inform people of what it was like being an African or an African American during the timelines of our histories. With the history of black people, we would be able to compare other race’s experiences and lives to those of black people. There would be another perspective on wars that took place in the world and cultures that we normally didn’t learn about. With Black History, there can also be opportunities to learn about more important historical figures that were important to everyday history but were not mentioned... With the addition of black history, there can be a full understanding on what really happened in historical events that may have been exaggerated."
Vita Maznik: "... Black history is still history. They still are a part of what built the world the way it is today, and we have a lot to thank them for. There are so many ways that African Americans have shown bravery and courage, and faced challenges with boldness, even though there were so many opposing forces. That alone is worth remembering; worth reminding ourselves that the world isn’t the way it used to be because of them. America, the great country, was built on the backs of slaves. There is an unending list of the things we can learn from Black History… one of which being that standing firm for what’s right will not be in vain. Who knows where we would be right now if it weren’t for them, for their hard work and their sacrifices."
Viktoriya Protosovitskaya: "Many may ask how Black History affects people who aren't African American, the answer to that is black history isn't confined to just one group of people, it has impacted the daily life of everyone in the world. Great historical and public figures have helped change and shape american culture to the way it is now. As a female, I can take many great examples from the African American women who fought very hard during the civil rights movements. African American women were constantly criticized for practically every aspect of their lives; however, they still challenged the system and never gave in to the challenge they had. Hopefully my generation can look at these brave men and women and decide that fighting for what they believe in is worth it. Just like some African Americans dedicated their lives to battling the white supremacists and getting their voices heard, i wish that the young girls of this world will grow up in a world where they believe anything is possible for them... "
