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Friday,
February 20, 2004 |
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Black
History Month shouldn’t be ignored
Students
of all races need to learn cultural past
COMMENTARY
This
month, TCU is celebrating Black History, but who on campus
is really celebrating is questionable.
Though there are several programs planned to commemorate
significant people and issues, student participation,
like at most campus events, could be better.
While people show up, most are African Americans there
to understand and support their own heritage or students
looking for extra credit. Few students attend these events
simply to gain knowledge or truly appreciate the history.
The importance of these events therefore this month go
unnoticed. While there seem to be a number of programs
focused on the race itself, there is very little information
about what black history has helped bring about —
something that would help students make the connection
to today’s society.
The National Pan-Hellenic Council Jazz Cafe and the Night
at the Apollo are fun and interesting ways to engage the
campus but offer little explanation as to why these things
are important to black history.
Events that celebrate racial change rather than just a
race would inspire more inclusive participation. Black
History Month should honor the differences of a culture
but should also reveal how that culture is a part of all
of us.
However, the responsibility to observe this month does
not rely on the programs alone. Students underestimate
the worth of these events.
To spare you from a lecture on black history and the civil
rights movement in its entirety, think about this: Black
history is not just the history of a race. It’s not
about who did what or what happened when. It’s about
what inspires change in people. It’s about how society
evolves because of change.
And it’s about recognizing the past in order to prevent
the repetition of its mistakes and to encourage the ideas
that brought us here today. This is a place of learning,
but some things you learn you won’t get credit for.
At least not by hours. |
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