The United States is known as the land of the free. We were established with the words “equality” and “the pursuit of happiness” in mind. Even though these strong words are a part of our doctrine, unfortunately, they do not apply to a large population of people. Today we celebrate the diversity that was not embraced during the times of our Founding Fathers. In the present we not only have black history month, but also Asian Pacific American heritage month, National Hispanic heritage month, and Native American heritage month. While engaging in the history of these cultures, I have come across others asking the question “Why don’t we have a White History Month or White Heritage Day?”
I consider the idea of a white history month a touchy subject. On the surface, denying one would be discrimination and exclusion. It is easy to want a month when other cultures are getting them. Some people might see it as a white supremacy kind of idea as well. To me there is not a need for a white history month. It has nothing to do with race or me being hostile towards white people, because I am not. If we had a white history month I feel as if it would be a kind of historical overkill.
The point of black history month as well as Asian, Hispanic, and Native American heritage month is to educate the population about underrepresented cultures. There are many untold stories and unheard voices from these people that need to be heard. In the public school system, very little is taught about these cultures. Yes, today is much better than the previous years, but there is still room for improvement.
When a child starts school they learn about the great people that had a huge impact on this country. These people include individuals like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and etc. I agree that children need to be taught about these very influential people, but it would be great if the children from more diverse ethnic backgrounds were taught about someone who they could relate to. Eventually, Martin Luther King, Jr. is mentioned. Then there are many presentations on black history month, but it is very repetitive. There are many people besides Martin Luther King, Jr. that aided in the civil rights movement, but they are not discussed. I haven’t been to elementary school in a very long time, but I remember learning nothing of influential Asian, Native American, or Hispanic people.
At the middle school level I would like to think that there would be more expansion on incorporating ethnicity into the history that is taught. I know from my middle school experience that they pretty much glossed over anything to do with slavery or the civil rights movement. We only talked about the “good” things or the “accomplishments.” This is a good thing, but I believe the school system has a certain obligation to prepare the children of today about the world. I’m not suggesting a showing of “Roots” during class, but an actual discussion of real events. You cannot create something new without learning from something old.
At the high school level there are still important subjects that involved ethnic people, but instead they decided to gear the advanced placement classes towards European history and British literature. These are wonderful classes, and I have taken them myself, but I feel as if I was not shown the world for what it was. I would have loved to have had an African American History course at my high school. Sadly, my community was one that was not real to embrace diversity and talk about the real issues of the United States. I am sure that this is the reason there is so much racial tension. We don’t understand each other, therefore, we are hostile towards each other.
Throughout the American education system, European history dominates. That is basically the first type of history we learn. College is the only time one gets to branch out and choose classes that they feel will benefit them. Those who were not fortunate enough to receive a college education are slighted and never truly learn what they need to. Because European history is so prevalent within the education system I believe there is no need for a white history month. Europeans have made vast contributions to society, but so have Africans, Asians, Native Americans, Hispanics and so on. If we regarded each other equally then maybe we wouldn’t have to stress these heritage months.
To sum it all up, white history month would really be a regurgitation of what we already know. Heritage months fill the void that the history books don’t. I don’t look at not recognizing a white history month as discrimination, but an opportunity for expansion of the history of ethnic people that has yet to be told.
Funny, I thought it was all about equality. Black people get a history month, hispanic people get a history month… what about us white folks?
I belive that there are a lot of whites who could use any historical education, so why not white history month.
I agree with the other posters, you can’t have one rule for one and not for another, it is racism in reverse.
In the UK there used to be a TV program called ‘Black Britain’, can you imagine the uproar if there had been a program dedicated specifically to white British people.
Equality is just that, by separating the black community like this it just enflames racism and racist thinking. The colour of someones skin doesn’t matter, if people are to be celebrated in history then it should be for their actions and not highlighted just because they are Black (or white for that matter!).
When the first black president was elected I was happy, not because he was black but because he was a breath of fresh air compared to the Bush administration before him.
Wake up folks, There are black music awards like the MOBO awards, would it be acceptable to have a White only music awards, of course not!
This is racism in reverse, nobody accepts that what went in the past and how badly the black population were treated was justified but in the end if you want true equality then treat people as individuals and stop this ridiculous separation of black and white.
Sure celebrate the success of Black people, but do it in harmony alongside the celebration of all successful people, whatever their colour or creed.
I’m white yes, I don’t want a White History Month, but I firmly believe Black History Month is a mistake too, why should successful people be clubbed together just because their skin colour is black?
Not all black people come from the same place you know, I’m English and white, however just over the border in the UK are white Scottish people, we aren’t the same and have very different histories as nations, so having a White History Month would be a farce because we too are from different places.
There is just no logic to grouping successful Black people together just because of their skin colour, one could be from Africa originally, one could be from the West Indies, no link whatsoever!
Either we are all equals or we aren’t, stop this silly reverse racism and lets all live in harmony folks!
Is there a White voice of North Carolina State University?
there should be a white history month because white people have done a lot in history. i feel excluded because white people do not have a history month. i am very upset about this. this needs to change soon because all whites are outraged.
The race that has had the greatest form of injustice is the Indian nation, blacks cry like little girls on how bad they have been mistreated when we the Indians have been screwed over more than anyone else. The white man has killed more Indians than he has blacks.
@Crazy Indian: Would you like to provide some hard data to justify your statement?
I ask again…is there a White voice of North Carolina State University? Or maybe an Indian voice, an Oriental voice, a Latino voice, a Middle Eastern voice? Or is the only voice of North Carolina State University an African-American voice?
I really have to agree with the comments made by CP. I believe to have a skin color history month of any type is a slap in the face to the only race on this planet that matters. The human race. I will, however, say this. If it is truly a Black History Month, or a Native American History Month, or ect …. then the history of those individuals or even groups that have wronged society should also be recognized. Not to celebrate it, but to learn from it. That is the true reason for history. So that we as a human race can learn from the good and bad of the peaoples of our pasts. Across generations, across cultures, and across skin colors, it does not matter who the individual is, we all can learn something from somebody, to improve ourselves.
My ancestry, being one fourth European, one fourth African American, one fourth Native American, and one fourth Jewish, to who do I pledge my allegiance to? I pledge it to the human race. The Olympic Gold Medal, the bullet fired from a gun, or even the God of those who believe, does not discriminate. It does not recognize a history month. It takes all that it effects, equally. We as humans should treat all peoples, societies, races, religions, and cultures equally. That is the way it was intended to be, that is the way it should be.
Two Solutions to this Problem: Give White People a White Heritage Month or Take away all the other Ethnic History Months and rewrite the history text books in the schools so that all races are represented.
Oh yeah, This is coming from a white person. If my statement sounds racist; it was not meant to be a racist statement. I believe in equality just like GOD.
I was have lived my whole life in a small town in the San Francisco Bay Area. I remember the emphasis, from elementary school on up through college, being on the minorities. We celebrated black history, we did special projects for Native American History and Mexican-American History. The teachings dwelled on how evil the white men were and on all the ways they attempted to keep people of other races down. It was shoved down my throat year after year. Because of this, I have to say that having a “Black History Celebration” is “overkill”. The town I live in could not be more diverse. It seems discriminatory to me to celbrate black and latin heritage, while excluding virtually every other race. Does it leave our children believing that some raise are more celebration-worthy than others. The key focus in public schools should be to ensure that ALL, including white, heritages are celebrated. We need to stop the segregation.
Black History Month is about *culture* not skin color.
It is important for a person from one culture to understand people from a different culture. Otherwise, there may be unnecessary and counter-productive misunderstandings.
There is no need for a White History Month because White-American culture permiates American culture. White Americans can learn a lot from African-American culture, in addition to Native American, European, East Indian, etc.
I agree with Crazy Indian when he said “The race that has had the greatest form of injustice is the Indian nation, blacks cry like little girls on how bad they have been mistreated when we the Indians have been screwed over more than anyone else. The white man has killed more Indians than he has blacks.”
There shouldn’t be any singling out of any race for any reason. Everyone keeps saying we need to be as one then “everyone should act like it”. No BET awards, BET TV, Black History month, no Hispanic Heritage, No Gay Pride Parade, None of anything that emphasizes any particular race for any reason. In my Grandsons high school there is “Black Student Body” and he “CERTAINLY” couldn’t get away with “WHITE STUDENT BODY”. He was in middle school one year and he has many black friends. One of them passed him in the hallway and said “Hey my white Buddy’ and he replied “Hey my Black Buddy” my Grandson got called into the office. Go figure definitely double standards apply in all areas. It is time for it to stop.
Just a thought—-Blacks enslaved their own people and sold them into slavery–Hummm? so where would blacks in america be if it were not for whites?? so where is the respect and the WHITE HISTORY MONTH???
I believe that the general accepted belief is that we were all raised on white history and I agree with the earlier poster that the reason we have special months are for under-represented groups.
However, given our current circumstances as we stand today we need to come together as Americans and stop all the diversity madness and learn to stand united and get off of the skin color and learn to unite under a belief as our foundation as a nation. Do you believe in the Constitution? And not the perversion of the Constitution. Do you believe that we are one nation under God?
These are the questions we need to contemplate.
I’ve been trying for 6 years to get April declared Scottish History Month but can’t get even one national or state member of congress to even return my mail or phone calls. Some of the Scots were brought here as slaves of the English. The Scots have played an important roll in the founding of this nation. We have Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian-American History Month and Native American Month. The thing is, Scottish History Month would include White Males. Scottish History Month would include many other groups such as women, Blacks, American Indians and Asians. I know since I’m a member of 3 Scottish clans.