Black History Month: Still not getting enough respect
By ANDREA SCHMIDT
Racism is a term that makes many people uncomfortable. It is something that is easy to ignore. During February, the month that celebrates black history, it is important for everyone to take a moment and recognize what blacks have contributed to society and the positive effect they continue to have. It’s not a month about the color of your skin; it is simply a time to remember.
As Drake University’s Dean of Students, Sentwali Bakari, said at a recent presentation in honor of Martin Luther King Day, "It’s not only black history; it’s American history."
This month is a time of celebration and recognition. Blacks have made many contributions to our country, most noticeably in equal rights for everyone. "Black History Month is simply a time to say we recognize the oppression blacks have been through, and we appreciate it," says Kevin Wright, a student at Drake University. Many of the heroes recognized during the month received no recognition during their lives for what they did. Now names like Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson are household names, but while they were alive they surely didn’t know the impact their actions would have.
"We have a smarter more united America now; whites and blacks are walking together in their struggle for the most part," Wright says. "We as black people have to open up. We have to not hate. It’s important. We all have to work together. Blacks can create red tape just like whites can. Black History Month is not a time to build up hatred in remembering deep oppression that we as a people went through. It’s a time to remember the struggle in order to appreciate the present."
Kimberly Hamby, a Drake graduate, works at Partners in Economic Progress in Des Moines with area youth. The goal of the program is to empower young adults with education. The importance of Black history is stressed to the kids year round, Hamby says. "We try to embrace the past," she says. "It’s important to still fight and prove our equality." Hamby works with students who are finishing high school and trying to go to college. She encourages them to aim for the same goals as white students. While sometimes the color of a student’s skin helps him get accepted to a school, once they are in, it is their responsibility to work hard and learn as much as they can, she says.
Hamby says that while programs to promote the month are great, she feels people need to get together, both white and black, to celebrate different cultural history year round. People should be excited about it and look forward to celebrating together, almost like Mardi Gras, she says. "It’s disappointing that we save it all for one month."
Wright sees younger generations getting comfortable with their way of life. Too comfortable, he feels. "Without struggle there is no equality," he says. "It is imperative to remember the struggles." While open racism has ceased to exist Wright says, "racism has changed its mask, in a sense we don’t have overt racism anymore, instead we have covert racism."
One form of covert racism according to Wright is institutional racism. "It’s not in the open like Jim Crow Laws and segregation were," he says. Today he says racism is found in job recruitment or unequal salary for blacks. Wright stresses that is it important to realize that even though things have improved over the years, racism still exists. Black History Month is a way to reaffirm the actions of those who struggled before us, but there is still work to be done, Wright says.
"In the past, Black History Month wasn’t given enough respect," Hamby says. "As people are more educated they recognize it more. It’s come a long way."
