Wanting It Both Ways On "Black History Month"

I just listened to Attorney General Eric Holder's speech on Black History month. He states that the fact that Black History has been relegated to one month is yet another example of how our history as Black people has been relegated to a "separate and unequal" status.

Here is how I see it. If we look at the contributions of White people there are those who are major (Thomas Jefferson, Henry Ford) and then there are those which are substantial but which are not likely to be brought up in the history or science books. The distribution of "Black historical achievements IN AMERICA" enjoy a similar distribution. Barack Obama, George Washington Carver, Booker T Washington and Ralph Bunche would appear in any history book. The words of many others who are significant but not popular would not.

Black History month in and of itself is an attempt to promote detailed focus on the contributions of African-Americans that would not otherwise be seen in the macro-view of history. It is a self-initiated attempt to focus upon the narrative of the Black struggle in America which is an important "parallel rail" to that which the history books might tell as a narrative.

With this in mind I cannot accept Eric Holder's assessment about "separate but equal". As a Black man I am taping all sorts of documentaries this month. I have a preference for, for example, the story of Percy Julian - the scientist who contributed greatly toward the synthesis of cortisone which has helped many patients made idle by arthritis. I have seen enough of the "police dogs and fire hose" narratives and, MYSELF, don't have anything more to learn from them. Julian experienced both racism but also monopolistic challenges put forth by the Mexican government that was attempting to protect a Mexican company that was a competitor to Mr. Julian's. Both firms needed an important natural root for their products. Julian is not likely to appear in any history book because he was a leader within a specific field.

I support Black history month because it serves as a needed concentration of working done by many people that would not otherwise be told. NOT because of RACISM, but simply because the mainline history of a people is necessarily limited to its key institutions and the people within. Thus President Barack Obama will be in the mainline of history because he is operating as President NOT because racism has subsided and thus his story is worthy of inclusion.