Triumph Unmasked: Why We Celebrate Black History Month
Posted: Sunday, February 04, 2007
by Peggy Butler
PSB COMMUNICATIONS
A tribute to our past, present and future. Here’s to the winner in all of us!
The history of a noble race, running roughshod over bondage, obstacles and time eternal. Fearless, proud and infinitely hopeful, that is the essence of our heritage. Hence, in honoring Black America, we celebrate the rebirth of the nation’s most maligned ethnic group.
We celebrate the legacy of Marcus Garvey, Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. Dubois, crying out against injustice. We celebrate the NAACP, National Urban League and Southern Christian Leadership Conference in their crusade to remove the insufferable stench of racism gone awry.
We celebrate the strength of Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth and Ida Wells-Barnett, women of unrelenting persistence, rebelling against the savagery of hate and inhumanity.
We celebrate the uprisings of Nat Turner and Denmark Vesey in their ill-fated attempt at freedom. So strong were these men in their quest for freedom, they preferred death to enslavement. We celebrate the Civil, Political and Equal rights so long denied and withheld. We celebrate our triumphs, disasters and heritage.
We celebrate the political activism of Jesse Jackson, Fannie Lou Hamer and the charismatic Adam Clayton Powell, eloquent strategists demanding the granting of voting rights to every adult, young and old.
We celebrate the soldiers on the battlefield. From the rebel retreat of Fort Wagner during the Civil War to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Unsung heroes fighting and dying to keep America safe for democracy.
We celebrate the literary genius of James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks and Maya Angelou, urging America to redeem its pledge of equal rights for all via the written word.
We celebrate the Revolutionists; Malcolm X, Angela Davis and the Black Panthers, passionately urging Blacks to abandon the “wait and see" attitude and rebel against the White Establishment."
We celebrate the contributions of Dr. Charles Drew, blood plasma founder and Garrett Morgan, creator of the automatic traffic lights; whose inventions helped revolutionize the health and transportation industry.
We celebrate the Nobel Peace Prizes of Ralph J. Bunche and Martin Luther King; two amicable men dedicated to world peace.
We celebrate the athletic prowess of Jesse Owens, racing across the finish line at the 1936 Olympics; Jackie Robinson, breaking baseball’s color barrier. And the wizardry of Michael Jordan, showing the world why he was named “the Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century." Similarly, we celebrate the brilliance of Venus and Serena Williams, taking tennis to new heights, and the beauty of Tiger Woods’ golf stroke; sturdy, on target, an exhibition of immense talent.
Lastly, we celebrate the diversity of our hair; curly, natural, permed, straight, waved and weaved and the beige, red, brown and blackness of our skin.
That is why we celebrate. To tell our history in our own words, as only African-Americans can do. In observing Black History Month, it is good to focus on the actions and accomplishments of dignitaries past and present. However, attention should also focus on lesser known heroes and heroines. We know that were it not for Dr. King, opportunities for African-Americans would be virtually impossible. Similarly, without Harriet Tubman, slaves seeking refuge would not have found solace via the Underground Railroad.
But what about those pioneers at the local and state level, those anonymous men and women who paved the way, so that future generations could enjoy the amenities entitled to all people? Their contributions should not be confined to musty, photo albums and faded newspaper clippings. They too were instrumental in establishing the democracy of our modern history, and deserve to be enshrined in the scripted walls of the immortals. In retrospect, all African-Americans have made impressionable contributions big and small, to the dazzling archives that personify Black History.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Peggy, thank you for a beautifully written article on notable Black Americans. Bless you!Mr. Collins, having read your article "A Prelude to Rosa Parks" I am honored to be the recipient of your wonderful remarks. It is proud, intelligent and rare African-American men like you, who make writing about Black History Month such a pleasure. Thank you, thank you
Wow...I could'nt have said it better or felt it any deeper. Not only a great noteworthy article subject, but information of value. Thank you Shirley MattaHi Shirley: Thank you for the kind remarks regarding the article. Indeed, it was written from the heart, and I'm glad it comes through for all to see. Bless you
Some writers have got a way of getting through to their readers. And believe me Peggy I felt every word I read in your article. They went directly from your heart to mine. thank youDave: Thanks for the kind remarks, and may I say that I enjoyed your article regarding Black History Month too. I know it sounds strange, but I emjoy reading viewpoints from other races, in lieu of this special month, and yours was EXCEPTIONAL.
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