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IT’S BLACK HISTORY MONTH YET AGAIN. WITH SEVERAL YEARS OF UNIVERSITY TEACHING UNDER MY BELT, I’VE BEGUN TO WONDER WHAT BLACK HISTORY MY STUDENTS HAVE ACTUALLY LEARNED DURING THIS MONTH OR ANY MONTH BEFORE ENTERING COLLEGE. By Tara Bynum, THE ROOT, February 16, 2010 It's Black History Month yet again. With several years of university teaching under my belt, I've begun to wonder what black history my students have actually learned during this month or any month before entering college. It's clear the students know a version of black history that moves rather quickly from slavery to Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement to the election of Barack Obama. They describe black history with words, such as "real," "struggle," and "overcoming." "Real" captures the racial authenticity that privileges those stories, which emphasize the ways in which black people have fought back against an oppressive system through invention, revolution, and political activism. What the students have learned seems to suggest that a history of the black experience documents how black Americans have "kept it real" in spite of racism. After numerous classroom discussions, I've come to understand that though this "real" history is important, it overshadows the moments where resistance and activism are not obvious concerns. There is a black history that exists outside of the "real" story. ‘ Here, I am reminded of 18th century poet Phillis Wheatley, whose poems possess no apparent literary activism. Her well-formed elegies barely discuss slavery and certainly do not seem to oppose its practice. Before we place her outside of black history or chastise her lack of racial consciousness, we must recognize that Wheatley may offer an alternative story. Let's assume that Wheatley's intention was not to inaugurate this "real" history. Let's concede that Wheatley does not keep real the narrative of struggle and resistance that has become synonymous with blackness. What Wheatley does offer is a story where choice is privileged alongside resistance and struggle. Her poetry makes evident her choice to write about that which makes her human. In the 18th century, it's God and faith. Wheatley is not alone in choice. She is joined by countless others—such as the famed trans-Atlantic minister and Prince Hall Mason chaplain, John Marrant and the poets, Jupiter Hammon and Lucy Terry—who write poems, autobiographical narratives, sermons, and stories that may not appear rife with literary activism. Though the examples I cite here are all from the 18th century, Wheatley, Hammon, and Terry, nonetheless, represent the less-known black histories that span all centuries since the colonization of North America. They represent the women and men that altered the course of history through their choices. Some of those choices may look like resistance, as in the case of Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, or David Walker. Other times, these choices may look to us like survival or complacency as with Wheatley or the actor Bert Williams. But these words—resistance, survival, and complacency—limit black history and deny the varied way in which black people have contributed to this history. Instead of resistance, let's heed Ralph Ellison's charge to pursue that which he could only describe as the "something else" of black life. Let's document not only the moments when we actively struggled but also those times when we lived everyday lives. It should be the living that we celebrate this month because it's through the living that we make and change history. Tara Bynum is an assistant professor of English at Towson University in Baltimore, MD
Posted By: Richard Kigel
Sunday, February 21st 2010 at 10:31AM
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Interesting take.
Professor Bynum is saying that Black History is also the everyday struggle to lead a normal life. This heroism was captured in the plays of August Wilson and the fiction of Zora Neale Hurston where all the characters want is to find happiness.
It reminds me of what Alice Walker said to summarize the literary reputation of Phillis Wheatley:
"A woman who still struggled to sing the song that was your gift...It is not so much what you sang, as that you kept alive, in so many of our ancestors, the notion of song."
All Phillis Wheatley wanted to do was write her exquisite poetry, whether people read it or not. The fact that we are reading her words today is a huge victory.
She wasn't a revolutionary. She didn't try to change anyone. She just wanted to write poems.
Sunday, February 21st 2010 at 10:41AM
Richard Kigel
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Dear Irma:
Just to be clear: This particular vision of Black History is being offered by an African-American professor. These are HER insights. I find them interesting and just wanted to share them.
I think what is valuable about her idea on Black History is that it isn't just the high points students white and black learn in books. It is so much more--the virtuous and dignified lives led by those AFrican-Americans whose struggles did not make the history books.
I think that is what you are saying as well. Because you find strength, worth and dignity in ALL African-Americans--and I do as well.
Professor Bynum is asking us--all of us-- to look deeper into the stories of the African-American people, beyond the Dr. King, Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass icons.
In a real way, she is saying the same thing as you are: EDUCATE! EDCUCATE! EDUCATE!
Sunday, February 21st 2010 at 2:24PM
Richard Kigel
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Dear Mozell:
I don’t think we are that far apart on this. Clearly you are making some assumptions about the professor’s points that she did not intend for you to make.
When you say that Black History “can not be seperated today from the struggle of living Black in America”—who is advocating some kind of separation? She certainly isn’t.
When you say: “The doctor failed to realize that without the constant struggle of those who advocated equal treatment those like Wheatly would go unnoticed,” I don’t think you are being fair to Professor Bynum. In no way was she advocating diminishing the great contributions of those who led the struggle.
She says “After numerous classroom discussions, I've come to understand that though this "real" history IS IMPORTANT, it overshadows the moments where resistance and activism are not obvious concerns.”
What she is advocating is broadening and deepening of what schools present during –quote—BLACK HISTORY MONTH--unquote.
I don’t think you would disagree that what student’s typically learn is superficial. That’s why she wonders “what black history my students have actually learned during this month or any month before entering college.”
Then she gets to her real point: “There is a black history that exists outside of the "real" story.”
She is not advocating “either/or” but “both”.
When you ask: “Normal life as described by whom?”—there is only one intelligent and valid answer. Nobody can speak about a life they have lived with more honesty, more vividly and with more power than the person who actually experienced it. That is history at its finest--living voices from the past speaking about what they knew, what they saw, what they felt, hoped and dreamed--they share their experience in their own words.
Historians call it Primary Sources—the Gold Standard of history.
And she is certainly not suggesting that the history of African be somehow set aside or devalued. I don’t know where you got that from. That’s just not in anything she wrote.
“Speaking only of life in America because if the truth were shared and acknowdeged our story began in Africa.”
Absolutely true. There is no disagreement on that here.
BUT…that chapter in history is not so easy to unpack because of the limited availability of Primary Source material. That doesn’t mean forget about it. It does mean we need to work harder to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding.
Meanwhile, Black History in America has left a rich legacy of Primary Source Material that is still being mined.
There is so much more to learn and to discover. I think that is all she is saying—and that is what I am saying!
Sunday, February 21st 2010 at 3:51PM
Richard Kigel
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Ms. Bynum is right, they don't promote those lesser known blackmen and women who were for bringing about a change in our current condition.They choose who they want you to honor and revere in this month and they monitor how many of us follow suit. I know of many children and adults right now that don't know anything out black history beyond Rosa Parks and MLK. I remember in junior high school one of my teachers asked my classmate who Malcolm X was he replied "That's Denzel".
Children and adults need to know more about leaders Frederick Douglass, Marcus Garvey, Bokker T. Washington, etc. If it wasn't for these people establishing a civil rights movement, there would be no voting, affirmative action, equal housing, and Equal Employment opportunities. The civil rights movement basically allowed the blackman and woman to be accepted into the Corporate America. It made him/her an American who enjoys the privileges of a first class citizen.
Many industries,namely the hip-hop industry,would not have been possible without the civil rights movement. Their would be no Barack Obama, Venus and Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, Oprah, JayZ, Beyonce and Puffy (or whatever he is calling himself by these days LOL) if it was not for these people and this movement.
Sunday, February 21st 2010 at 8:19PM
Siebra Muhammad
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Dear Mozell:
Well, I can tell you that if someone tried to claim the things you attribute to me and to Professor Bynum, I would be objecting too! I’d say exactly what you are saying. DON’T PLAY DOWN THE STRUGGLE. DON’T RELEGATE THEM TO OBSCURITY. DON’T BUTY THE BARBARITY OF THOSE EARLIER AMERICANS. DON’T OBFUSCATE. DON’T ELIMINATE.
That kind of misuse, abuse, misrepresentation and distortion of Black History has been going on for too long. I am trying to serve as counterweight to this to help set the record straight—and if I fail in that effort then shame on me.
That is exactly why I am writing about Black History—to borrow a beautiful phrase from Professor Gaddy (I know he’s not a professor…but in my book he’s earned the title as a sign of respect!) “IN ORDER FOR BLACK HISTORY TO LIVE WE MUST CONTINUE TO BREATHE LIFE INTO IT.”
The problem is—you misconstrue what both Professor Bynum and I are saying about Black History. I don’t want to do any of things you mention—and I don’t think she does either, based on her article.
Please give me a chance to explain this a different way.
Professor Bynum describes the way Black History is taught mostly as "The Struggle," and "Overcoming." It is mostly taught in schools as the “ways in which black people have fought back against an oppressive system.” The Civil Rights Movement.
Professor Bynum means political activism—Dr. King, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, W. E. B DuBois, William Still and the Underground Railroad, and so many many others who courageously put their lives on the line for the sake of future generations.
These brave men and women are to be honored, studied, emulated and respected. This IS such a strong part of Black History that it is impossible to play it down or relegate it to obscurity and be honest about it. We SHOULD be writing songs and plays and books about them because their efforts are timeless. All Americans will always be in their debt.
To use a metaphor—as a poet I know you will appreciate the effort—let’s describe this political struggle as one wing on the eagle of freedom.
HOWEVER, the eagle of freedom has two wings. The other is personal achievement. An individual finds his or her calling and perseveres despite all the obstacles and oppression because of an inner drive to succeed.
Professor Bynum uses the example of Phillis Wheatley. She was a gifted poet who wanted nothing more than to pracice her artistry. As a gifted poet yourself, you know the drive, the urge to write cannot be stopped. You write because it is your nature to write. It is your choice whether to write or what to write about—and you are free to follow your muse.
Phillis Wheatley was blessed with the opportunty to follow her muse—with certain restrictions that may have been self imposed. At no time did anyone ever impose a subject on her. She wrote of her own free will and free choice. And she produced brilliant poetry.
But this was not part of a political struggle. It wasn’t social activism. It didn’t bring new freedoms to anyone. But, it is a very real achievement that should be honored and celebrated.
And there are so many others.
Benjamin Banneker—when he was 20, a man gave him a pocket watch. He took it home, studied it, checked it out, took it apart and put it back together again for weeks. So his career as an engineer, astronomer, mathemtatician and surveyor began.
This was his personal decision. Nobody imposed it on him. There was no political gain. It was his free choice to study that pocket watch. And the world is better for it. He made many monumental contributions that should be honored and celebrated as long as we remain a nation.
Lewis Latimer—his parents were fugitive slaves. He became a draftsman for Alexander Graham Bell and gained a patent for an imporovement on Edison’s light bulb. He was exercising his own natural God-gioven talents and he did is by his own free choice. There was no political component to his achievement. But we should be honoring and celebrating his efforts for all time.
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams graduated first in his class at the Chicago Medical School. He later became the first surgeon to perform open heart surgery. He did this of his own free will at his own initiative using his God-given talents and abilities. He should be honored, studied and celebrated.
The Tuskegee Airmen weren’t making a poltical statement. They weren’t fighting for a cause. They didn’t care about political activisim. They just wanted to fly.
Bessie Coleman also wanted to fly. She was so determined that she found a way to go to France to learn and become the first non-white pilot, male or female, in history. That was not a political act. It was her own grit and determination, her natural skill and ingenuity earned that achievement. It is certainly worthy of the highest honor and respect we can give it.
Oscar Micheaux—was a farmer who loved to write stories. He became fasincated with the new motoin picture technology and later became the first African-American to produce his own film.
And on and on and on.
Professor Gaddy on his BLACK IN TIME blog does a great job of presenting both wings of the eagle of freedom. He reminds us of all the great poltiical activists and freedom fighters and all those who achieved great things despite the odds against them.
That’s what I mean by supporting Professor Bynum’s call for more balance in teaching Black History. So, don’t you think students should learn about both wings of Black History, the activists and the achievers?
PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO YOU!!!
Rich
Sunday, February 21st 2010 at 8:49PM
Richard Kigel
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Dear Mozell:
Right! Exactly! You and I are in total agreement on everything you just pointed out! The inspiring appeal of Black History is that every extraordinary achievement came with a struggle. That shows the amazing strength and resourcefulness of the AFrican-American people.
"IT IS ALL PART OF THE STRUGGLE."
But my question for you is--who in this blog or in any of the responses and comments is trying to "fool you" into forgetting the struggle????
Monday, February 22nd 2010 at 8:40AM
Richard Kigel
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Dear Mozell:
i agree totally with you. It is a profound statement to consdier that every African-
American individual, past, present and future, is part of a vast tableau of living history. Everyone has a story. Those who have triumphed can lead those who lag behind.
It is a great history, in my opinionk unique among the people of the world.
And I would like to remind everyone that Black History is not only for Black folks. it is for everyone.
African-Americans built this country. African-Americans have made the nation stronger. So their history is our history.
Monday, February 22nd 2010 at 11:32AM
Richard Kigel
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Beautiful!
Thank you, Mozell!!
Monday, February 22nd 2010 at 12:30PM
Richard Kigel
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Dear Irma:
About the Tuskegee Airmen--please don't take my word on it. I go by their own statements and comments. Man after man described how they signed up because they wanted to fly.
Yes, what they did was awesome and huge. Yes it was a signficant step in the Civil Rights movement. And yes--the men deserve our admiration for their bravery and guts.
My point is--we need to listen to those who were there, who went through the experience. What they say counts for more than what you or I say about it. Who better than the men themselves to have the last word.
Monday, February 22nd 2010 at 3:57PM
Richard Kigel
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Rich, I left this wonderful blog of yours for the same reason I am about passing on only truth at the expense of emotional outburst...some times emotions (no, because emotional out burst are more accepted that logic)
OUt of respect for EDUCATION !!!! EDUCATION!!!!EDUCATION!!!! I left this post and went to find a way to try and get my point across without resorting to elemninating the logical aspect of seeing all things from all sides and from different resorces...
therefore I just wrote a blog called WHY I AM GLAD TO BE LABELED AN ANTI-CHRIST...and this blog is to express how and why I have such respect for education that I wrote this as a thank you for this new form of a way to better educate about Blackk History months...My trust and belief that you are in truth the person I believe you to be is why Education is so so vital for PEAC ON EARTH...again thank you for this blog, Rich.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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tHANK YOU sIEBRA, NOW I CAN SAY SOMETHING THAT I NOW CAN SAY ON MY BLOG(that I mention) AND ALSO HERE...
I KEEP BRINGING UP REV. J. WRIGHT A LOT, BECAUSE I GET SO TICKLE KNOWINg THAT HE IS BEING CONDMNEDBY THE #! & #2 considered leading Black chuches against Black Liberation Preachers..because it has never been taught out side of our Black history departments in 4 00year colleges(which encludes Dr. M.L. King was also a BLP)...but, we know as proud civil rights living history taht if truths like this was known this man would have faced the same fate as Rev. Wright and he even have more college degrees.(smile)make us proud to be called STUPID ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE THIS TAHT WE HAVE BEEN FACING FOR 400 years and must still not know how to survive...WAKE UP...there is something in the human brain called the powers to use common sense.LOOOOOL
The original Black curches were the AMEZ AND THE BAPTIST CHURCH...The A means Africa and the Baptist celebrats our ties to the River God (or MOrther Nature)...BIA still banned in this country...
SO MAYBE ONE DAY (AS BLACKS TEND TO WORK FOR A BETTER WORLD FOR OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN) THAT THE DAY THAT OUR PEOPLE ACCEPT OUR DIRECT TIES TO THE MOTHER LAND, THEY WILL BEGIN TO TRY AND GAIN SOME RESPECT For THE BEING BLACK AND PROUD ThaT THE NOI TEACHES (is for our race's Cultural protection)US...
ANd, WHO KNOWS MAYBE OUR FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT WILL GET AN APOLOGY FOR NOW ALLOWING HIM HIS FREEDOM OF RELIGION...
BUT, IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO EVEN ATTEMPT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WE MUST LEARN AT LEAST SOME OF OUR CULTURE OF SURVIVAL THAT HaS BEEN SO WELL TAUGHT O-U-T OF US OVER THESE 400 YEARS.(smile)
we now are advicating that the only class in BIA being taught to our youth is Slavery, be replaced by teaching The Black Famliy...but, this would require the powers to be to stop defaning and degrading the single Black mother / the myth to our youth taht they are bound for prison or he graves fro drugs that started with president L.B.J. you see this too is not taught in our public schools but the relationgs to him and the Voting rights bill is!!!! (CUTTING AND PASTING OUR BIA OR FIRE THE TEACHERS who will dare to step out of line.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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...before I go, Rich, I was talking about the present time and about your personal experiences as related to it is on the individual their responibiloty to either accept and pass on to the next generation that although it is hard and is proven in the past and present to hopefully make it much eaiser in teh future a unity of mankind to unite in truths like we have got to teach the truth no matter what, because our failust to do so has brough back into style from those ropes in Jena. La to the tea paarty demanding a return to tose days of the ropes...it is up to our local leaders to continue to damand that BIA's survival is only change in time past the civil war and the civil rights movement, because our public schools still demand that we forget HIstory which means we are doomed to repeat it...this country is neither a counrty of separation of religion and state or the need to abuse the Bible to bring out how the God of christanityis bigger and badder then the God Allah...........(I am not smiling)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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Rich, the main point that we as PROUD AFRICAN-AMERICANS are trying to get across is today the false but still accepted by the powers that from day one in our public schools is in the state of PA...in truth and reality...the only state in our 50 states that can legally teach being proud of the color of your skins by never allowing your self to only believe that you had no value no being before being put into Chattel slavery in America is only in the state of PA...yet tis false yet accepted veersion of BIA can be taught to our children via those BIA specials...and as we continue to be spoon fed that the Black Panthers and Malcom X were the enemy of mankind and we should never look at them as less than the Anti-Christ by way of that same use of the Bible that got us classified as not human, WE AS A MAJORITY RACE WILL WILLING ACCEPT.....
What I am saying is Rich if you ever step into your class room and actually start teaching the TRUE BIA YOU WILL BE FIRED...you know taht Malcom X was not an enemy of dr. King and in fact Dr. Kings' personal body guard was from the nation of Islam or that the tea party is the civil rights movement in revers..you would be fired,,, thisbecause BIA si survived by our culture brought from the Mother Land and this is the last thing after 400 years of trying to teach this out of us..you will be violating too many of tose myths that so few of us refuse to believe or accept...youknnow like if you don't kill 100% that 1% will always mutate to continue that that tehy have naturally.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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Rich, the best way to teach is by way of accepting truth and reality...for example,, this professor is saying the very same tings as: Rev. wright says. "I" know tis from experience, because what Rev. wright is saying is the very same thing being taught to Black history majors as my self....have you or anyone else taught in your calsses that Rev. Wright and Farrakhann are saying tings that should be followed or obeyed in a Black church much less in our public education system as they do in the NOI from day one?????????????????????????????????????
ISNT IT TOO BAD FOR OUR BIA LIKE TIS STILL AS BANNED AS BACK WHEN WE COULD NOT VOTE NOT LONG AGO...... BANNED FROM PUBLIC ACCESS...this is my point from being living bia history and at tis very moment in time.(SMILE)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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I am going to take responsibility for by makine the comment "I" am making myself out to be a lier on taking a rest...my excuse for this is that the STRUGGLE for equality is never going to be able to take rest....Rich, this goes to back up BEING BLACK IS AN EXPERIENCE(which can not be taught, but experienced) and tis is where misconceptions and demeaning our race is so accepted by the public...
RICH YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO DELETE WHAT MOZELL SAID ABOUT SOME OF US RESSISTED SLAVERY BY USING WORDS AND SOME BY SPITING IN THE SUNDAY DINNER...THIS IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE FALSELY BEEN TAUGHT TO SEE THE WORDS OF FREDRICK DUGLESS AS AS 'FIGHTING WORDS' BUT NOT THOSE OF MS WHEATLY...IF YOU HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED BEING BLACK THEN THOSE WORDS WOULD NOT ONLY STAND OUT TO YOU BUT YOU WOULD NEVER EVER LOOK AT THE WORKS OF MS WHEATLY AS YOU HAD BEFORE READING THAT STATEMENT BY MOZELL...
AND, BETTER YOU WOULD REALIZE THAT YOU AND MOZELLS DIALOGE IS THE EXACT THINGS THAT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVMWENT WAS WHICH MEANS THIS STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY BEGAN THE MOMENT THE FIRST TIME AN AFRICAN SET FOOT IN AMERICA AND IS THE SAME AS IT WAS BACK THEN...
THIS HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHY IT HAD TO BE MADE FOR THE PUBLIC AND SO MANY OF MY PEOPLE TO REJECT REV. WRIGHT...HE SAID WE DANCE TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER...HE SAID THOSE ON THE DECKS OF THOSE SLAVE SHIPS AND THOSE IN THE BOTTOM IN CHAINS COULD NTO HAVE BEEN PRAYING TO THE SAME GOD..THOSE ON DECK HAD TO HAVE BEEN PRAYING THAT THEIR CARGO DON'T DIE(the lase was my words trying to explain better)
here is another example of this...remember me telling how you would be fired...IF YOU WERE A PART OF THE SAME STRUGGLE THAT MOZELL AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER HAVE IT OCCURED TO YOU TO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE PEOMS OF THAT SLAVE HOW IF NOT FOR PRESIDENT LBJ AND HIS GOVERNMEWNT APPORVAL TAHT THE BLACK SINGLE MOTHER WAS A DANGER TO HE, HER RACE AND MANKIND...AND THIS SET OFF THE BLACK THINK TANK(YES WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF THEM) which helped back the black panthers and forced our government to release those POEMS and so many others recordings that help promote that slaves could not read and write...remember what I said avout what will happen if the black family was taught in our public schools or talke about beyond those false CNN BIA 'speicals"????????????????????
You would learn how W.E. B. dubois was not accepted as a part of the civil right's movement and how he actually died in Africa trying to attone for what he did to our race?????
If you want to know about how this great person with words and emotions being played on as well as getting us a stpe towards equality...I WOULD BE GLAD TO TELL YOU HOW THIS MAN WAS SUCH A BLESSING AND AN EVEN BIGGER CRUSE ON MY PEOPLES.(SMILE)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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RICH, remember me saying about cutting and pasting our BIA..each person you mentioned had their history as if it never existed...say the slave and the one who CHOOSE TO TEACH THEM COULD FACE DEATH...SOME YOU HAVE MENTIONED WERE SELF TAUGHT...RICH THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE 60S WAS CONTINUING TIS 300 YEAR OLD STRUGGLE USING THEIR NATURAL TALLENTS TO HELP BRING RESPECT AND EQUALITY TO MY PEOPLE...slavery and white black only rallys and racism ans prejudice is created, continued on the ssame principle andlogical premise as SLAVERY...
please don't get me started on African and African-American history, because the next thing I will be talking about how modern day RACISM GOT STARTED IN TEH FORM IT IS IN TODAY.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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I WILL SAY THIS AND I WILL SHUT UP BUT RICHARD PLEASE NEVER EVER SAY WHAT YOU DID ABOUT THE T AIRMEN AGAIN, I BEG YOU...THESE MAN WERE A CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, A MOVEMRNT TO PROVE TAHT BLACK PEOPLES CAN DO MORE THAN CLEAN TOILETS AND COOK AND CLEAN...NOW REMEMBER IN THE CIVIL WAR BLACKS COULD HAVE GUNS...SEE WHERE I AM COMING FROM AS TIS BELIEF YOU POSED IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE NOW IN THE 400 YEAR CONTINUOUS WAR.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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Actually many of us have always fought to get the word CULTURE as being a part of our say, BLACK CULTURE WEEK, DAY, MONTH OR JUST ACCEPTED AS PART OF BIA.(smile) but this is why we still sing and believe in WE SHALL OVER COME ONE DAY...(smile)
***culture is how we learn to survive,to be able to adjust to some things like salvery in the past and prejudice each and ever day of our lives because of the color of our skin... case inpoint TOKENISM, Jim Crow as seen in the TEA party and members of congress and the media just to mention a few...
again thanks for tis blog, brother Rich. (smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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Richard, you are missing not just my point but Mozell's point and no I don't blame you for this...example,
Those CNN BIA history programs ae seen by more people on earth than have even learned i schools and colleges BIA from the African-centered BIA...even tis encludes our BLACK historical teachings because the only things they were being able to by Jim Crows which was the law of our country that only allowed our history to be taught from the European-centered point of view and, if I am not telling the truth why can't you teach in you calss that Malcom X and Dr. M.L Kings were never enemies...can't you tecach in your calss the VOODOO is about how we the Black race and the Native -Americans and anyone today trying to follow the Words of Al Gore is what got us Africans and Indians put into slavery?????????????
RICH, I WILL ANSWER FOR YOU HELL*************%^^^^^^^^^^* N-O! it is not racist it is just a fancy word for Jim Crow is ruling our public education departments and not BrownvBoard of Education or we the African-Americans and the Native-Americans would not have to be a SEGREGATED PART OF OUR TAX PAYED PUBLIC EDUCATION....RICH THIS IS PREVENTING THOSE SAME PEOPLE WHOSE CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP ON FALSETEACHINGS TAHT STILL KEEPS JIM CROW ALIVE UNDER THE NAME OF CNN BIA SPEICAILS..AND SO MANY OF US STILL WAITING FOR ANOTHER POWERS TAHT BE APPROVED BLACK LEADER...
I WILL STRESS AGAIN TEACHERS WHO FEAR TO TEACH THE TRUTH AND NOT FALSE INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY FEAR LOOSING A PAY CHECK OR POWER OR THEIR GOOD REPUTATION IS DOING JUST THE OPPOIST OF WHAT THEY ARE SAYING WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT ONLY KING AND LEAVING OUR MALCOM X...
I HAVE MorE RESPECT FOR THE TEA PARY AS THEY ARE MORE HONEST AND MORE OPEN WITH THEIR MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
now this is direct to you Richard...how many degrees in black history have you had...hsve you even had a class on the Nlack family????nNO RICHARD NOT FROM THE TEACHINGS ABOUT HOW OUR BLACK SINGLE MOTHER IS NOW SO LONG AFTER SLAVERY WHEN SHE IS NOT A SALVE BABY MAKER NOR A PRISON FILLING MALE BODY MACHINE IS WHAT I MAEN BEING TAUGHT ABOUT OUR RACE AND NOT THAT OF THE EUROPEAN-CENTERED VERSION????????????????????????????????????????????
YOu can teach about the T Airmen, but can you teach how tis instution came into existance or about our government talking about how wrong Hitler was for soing expermints on his peoples but not hose at this instution...oh and by the way because the native-Americans do not suffer from cancer the rate as others do can you teach in your calss how our government had Indian childten to play in uranium minds to lear at what rate they would get cancer....again Hall N-O because you would be come like tose Black kActivist which is only a samll part of our BIA...but still falling under the rules of Jim Crow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This seems personal and it is personal, personal as well as factual because Rich, this is what keeps racism, bigotery so alive and well in this country...CUT AND PAST PUBLIC EDUCATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(I am not smiling)
and, if you have an idea that you can read a book and know about the black family it can not be done,,you must experience the actual CLASSES as a starat in the veryleast..............
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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rICH, REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE AIRMEN SAID THEY WANTED TO FLY..THIS IS THE SAME LIE THAT IS NO DIFFERENCE THAN RIGHT NOW I AM WILLING TO SAY THAT YOUR BELIEVE THAT VERSION THE WE SIDE, "WE WANT TO ATTEND WHITE SCHOOLS"
WHAT WE SAID IN TRUTH WAS WE WANTED THE R-I-G-H-T TO ATTEND ANY SCHHOOL WE CHOOSE TO ATTEND...NOW THE BLACK VERSION OF THE AIRMEN IS...NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THE WHHITE FEMALE WANTED TO DO ANY JOB THEY WANTED TO DO..AND, GUESS THEY DID NOT HAVE TO EXPECT TO HAVE TO PUT UP WITH BEING RAPED ON A REGULAR BASIS JUST TO BE ABLE TO HELP KEEP FOOD ON THE TABLE(BOTH SINGLE AND MARRIED MOTHERS) MORE SO BEFORE THE 60S THAN TODAY, BUT STILL TODAY YOU CAN NOT TEACH BLACK HISTOY NOW CAN YOU RICH?????????????
CAN YOU TEACH THE TRUTH OF WHY WE HAD TO EVEN HAVE SOME THING AS A T AIRMEN AS A FIRST AND STILL NOT SEE IT AS A CONTINUATION OF OUR STRUGLE FOR EQUALITY NOW REMEMBER THIS FROM OUR VIEW WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE 80S THE ONLY DIFFERENCES IS THAT NOW THE PUBLIC IS BEING ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT IT..AND MORE PROOF THAT THIS IS ABOUT JIM CROW RULE...RICH, CAN YOU TEACH IN YOUR CLAS HOW WHEN THE JAPANESE WERE PUT INTO THOSE CAMPS HERE IN TIS COUNTRY...JAPANESE WERE BEING THE BEST AND MOST DECORATED PEOPLE IN WWII???????AGAIN HELL*************%^@@@@@@@@@@@@ n-o!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO i AM NOT CURSING JUST PUTTING EMPHSIS ON HOW YOU STILL BELIEVE TAHT WE NEED A LEADER TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE...NO rICH TEACHERS OF OUR PUBLIC INSTUTION ARE THE ONE WE NEED TO DO THE 21ST CENTURY DR. KNG AND STEP UP TO THE PLATE, YOU SEE WE NOW HAVE A BLACK PERSODENT WHO KNOWS ABOUT IT AND HIS WIFE'S MINOR IN COLLEGE WAS b HISTORY AND OW ALL OF THIS LEAD THEM AND OPRAH TO WRIGHT BECUSE THEY NEEDED A MODERN WAY TO AVOID FALLING TO THE WHITES ACCEPTING THEM AS ONE OF THEM WHEN THEY NEVER WOULD GIVE UP THEIR BLACKNESS AND TIES TO AFRICA AS THE PUBLIC HAS TAUGHT THEY MUST DO...............Michael Jackson believed that lie about he has crossed over into the color blind, bull ****....look what it got him and he had more money earned taht these tow put together.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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YES WE MUST DIALOGUE BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY...HERE AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHY WE MUST BE KEPT IGNORANT...
YESTERDAY I HEARD HOW A SCHOOL CAN NOT MONITOR A STUDENT BY TRACKING HIM/HER...JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO I HEARD HOW YOUR INSURANCE MAY BE GOING TO GO UP IF YOU USE SOCAL NETWORKS TO TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE...
BECAUSE I AND MANY LIKE ME HAVE BECOME 'EXPERTS' I JIM CROW CODES BETTER KNOWN AS RACE CODES...THIS I JUST MENTIONED IS NOT SEEN IN TONES OF SKIN COLOR THEREFORE IT WILL NEVER OCCURE TO THE AVERAGE PERSON THAT THIS IS J-I-M- C-R-O-W OR SEPARATE IS EQUAL..THE SCHOOL CAN NNOT DO THIS WHAT THE INSURANCE IS NOT ONLY GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO DO BUT MAKE YOU PAY FOR IT TO BOOT....
I DO HOPE I HAVE MANAGED TO EDUCATE SOMEONE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO NOT FALL INTO ALLOWING OTHERS TO DO YOU THINKING OR YOUR NOT SEEING VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW BECAUSE IT IS N OT ABOUT SKIN COLOR. (smile)
This my members of the human race is what you have been taught that the civil rights movement WAS NOT ABOUT....and you know I am telling the truth, YOU SEE i WAS THERE BACK THERE AND REFUSE TO CUT AND PASTE BIA.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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Now back to those T air men..Rich, you have been taught by the powers that be to say civil rights movement and Dr. King was not a black Liberation preacher...but we called it the inforcement of Brown v board Of Education...what Ms Parks did I will repeat has to do with thekilling of emmit till, but one as you know needs a case to get into court, before you can get to the supreme court and in this case it was to get the us government to enforce BVBE!!!!!and why most have been taught that this tea party movement is the crM in reverse...WAKE UP...this is why if the bush administration does not be called to court then like MS parks some on has got to get it back because of the color of their skin...remember that man crasing his plane and those planes into the twin towers has never been talked about in terms that this counrty is practicing the laws of jim crow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and even you my friend can call me sister ,but you will not believe me.(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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Rich, this post is why "I" keep saying things like : "Being Black is an experience" and how "I" will not accept the "N word" because I now own athe words ***** and black...well this is because there is a right and a wrong way to define the value to the African-American , by a non African-American as related to us having a culture/ proud pre slavery history...and one of the most wrong and mistaken way to define/describe the our being BIA is covered in the theme of this post...
You see this post from the view of a proud Africn-American is that in order to have a present we can notbe allowed to have a past,be actual living history right now at this very moment in time but we can not have both...
YOU SEE BEING BIA MEANS THE WE IN ORDER TO be considered as worthy of a BIA we can NOT HAVE OUR TIES TO THE MOTHER LAND TAUGHT OUT OF US BY being taught the enemy of our race are THOSE LIKE MINISTER FARRAKHAN AND REV. J. WRIGHT BEING TAUGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY AS being THE ANTI-CHRIST MEANS THAT EACH AND EVERY DAY therefore THE PROUD BEING BIA MUST MAKE THEIR LIVES ACTUAL BLACK HISTORY 365 DAYS A YEAR 24/7...as a counter to this, you know that black single mother, bit??????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????
Please Richard, don't ever think that I am not 100% grateful for your posting this blog nor that "I" beieive in any way form or fashion that you did it to do any harm nor disrespect ...THIS IS WHY I STILL CALL YOU MY BROTHER AND CHANT (PRAY) THAT YOU CONTINUE TO EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE, (and being educated)and help promote truth in our public education institues as you have managed to do on this site on a regular basis...
DIALOGUE FORM AND FOR RESPECT IS GOING TO SAVE MANKIND FROM ITS SELF.(smile) and, again thank you , thank you, thank you because you do so much need good my brother Richard, Rich...(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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