Black History Is American History

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Black History Is American History

By david masciotra
February 22, 2012

Two-hundred years ago, an unlikely group of people shattered the presuppositions and assumptions of the simple-minded. American slaves forcibly brought to a new country in chains, restricted to the cotton fields, regularly beaten and harassed and stuck in a state of illiteracy, invented modern gospel and the blues. It was not only a genre of music but an artistic idiom and aesthetic event. Men and women who could not read a sentence written by a child created an enduring vision of humanity and form of expression that continues to uplift, inspire and empower people to this day.

One of the greatest achievements in the history of the species—the invention of modern music and an artistic idiom by uneducated, uncultured slaves—also contains wisdom that sheds light on the beauty and brutality of American history. It is defined by the mixing and mingling, the interplay and interaction of different groups of people—one group that had all the power, and still has most of the power, and other groups that had none or very little.

This achievement is also something almost universally omitted from educational curricula in American schools at all levels. I’ve recently explained it to classes at two Chicago area colleges, and the students had admitted that none of them ever heard it before. I’m not a genius. The American educational system, and larger culture, is just largely ignorant of this subject.

Part of the problem, as well-meaning and intentioned as it may be, is the invention and existence of “black history month.” The old joke goes: “Of course white people picked February for black history month. It’s the shortest month of the year.”

What isn’t so funny, however, is categorizing “black” history as something particularly “black,” and therefore separate and different from the rest of American history. The process of narrow and foolish categorization encourages schools and the media to adopt a tourist approach to understanding and appreciating the invaluable, inspirational and intensely American contributions to history by black Americans.

There is the invention of blues and jazz. There is the immeasurable impact on American religious life. The oratorical style that articulated a jeremiad theology forever shaped American Christianity, and continues to represent it around the world. There are individual contributions, including the invention of open heart surgery by a black doctor named Daniel Hale Williams—a surgery that saved my white father’s life.

Black history is inseparable from American history, because it is the black freedom movement that saved every white father’s life.

All Americans should think deeply about what America would be without its greatest liberators: Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Fred Shuttlesworth, et. al. America would be a country defined by an apartheid system of oppression, violence and hate. For all our grand illusions about democracy, we forget that democracy in America began a mere 47 years ago with the passage of the voting rights act. The “founding fathers” did not possess a democratic vision focused on honesty and compassion; rather, they created a system of governance under which “all men are created equal.” The only honest part of that promise was the word “men.” Women could not vote nor hold any power, and neither could black Americans.

Martin Luther King, and the millions of warriors for justice that he represented so fiercely and eloquently, freed everyone—not only black Americans, but all Americans—because in the words of Albert Camus, he demonstrated that we could be “neither victims nor executioners.” A black American does not have to be a victim, and a white American does not have to be an executioner.

American culture is impossible to imagine without gospel, blues, jazz and later inventions by slaves and descendents of slaves. American Christianity is impossible to imagine without the rhetorical mastery and love and labor of justice exercised and symbolized by black church leaders. American democracy would not exist without the vision, courage and sacrifice of the black freedom movement.

Reducing such rich history to one month—whether it is the shortest or longest month—is not only stupid, but dangerous. Black history is American history, and it is a story that demands telling every day, all year, every year.

David Masciotra is the author of Working on a Dream: The Progressive Political Vision of Bruce Springsteen (Continuum Books). He is also a columnist with PopMatters. For more information visit www.davidmasciotra.com.

9 Comments

81,439

JR Johnson commented…

"One of the greatest achievements in the history of the speciesthe invention of modern music and an artistic idiom by uneducated, uncultured slavesalso contains wisdom that sheds light on the beauty and brutality of American history." << is this a joke? The Africans weren't uneducated and uncultured just because they didnt exhibit European education or culture. Remember: they had their own education and cultural systems before imperialists tore them away

2/23/2012 10:15 AM

81,439

Anonymous commented…

While I wholeheartedly agree that subjugating "Black History" to a single month of study and celebration is ill advised, much of this article is framed ingrandiose statements rooted more in emotional overtones (perhaps White shame?) than a thoroughly thought out understanding of broader American history and culture.

For example, negating the work of the Founding Fathers and claiming true democracy only began a mere 47 years ago is foolish and short sighted. Had the Founding Fathers not established the foundations of democracy (a revolutionary move for their time) we would not have the freedoms we all (black, white, male, female) enjoy today.

Democracy is an ever evolving practice that hopefully becomes more and more complete over time. Surely 100 years from now (if we make it that far) people will look back on us a see our practices as dated. The emotionalism of this article is displayed in the fact that the works of Civil Rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and others are trumpeted as glorious accomplishments for democracy (which they most certainly are), while the very work of the Founding Father's those Civil Rights leaders expanded upon as belittled for their shortcomings.

Maybe Mr. Masciotra should revisit his quote of Albert Camus and recognize the work of all people contributing to the advancement of democracy.

2/23/2012 10:27 AM

81,439

Anonymous commented…

Keep history alive by telling that history:

Read the greatest 'historical novel', Rescue at Pine Ridge, the first generation of Buffalo Soldiers. The website is: http://www.rescueatpineridge.c... This is the greatest story of Black Military History...5 stars Amazon Internationally, and Barnes & Noble. Youtube commercials are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Rescue at Pine Ridge is the story of the rescue of the famed 7th Cavalry by the 9th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers. The 7th Cavalry was entrapped again after the Little Big Horn Massacre, fourteen years later, the day after the Wounded Knee Massacre. If it wasn't for the 9th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers, there would of been a second massacre of the 7th Cavalry. This story is about, brutality, compassion, reprisal, bravery, heroism, redemption and gallantry.

Youll enjoy the novel that embodies the Native Americans, Outlaws and African-American/Black soldiers, from the south to the north, in the days of the Native American Wars with the approaching United States of America.

The novel was taken from my mini-series movie with the same title, RaPR to keep the story alive. The movie so far has the interest of, Mr. Bill Duke, Hill Harper, Glynn Turman, James Whitmore Jr., Reginald T. Dorsey and a host of other major actors in which we are in talks
with, in starring in this epic American story.

When you get a chance, also please visit our Alpha Wolf Production website at; http://www.alphawolfprods.com and see our other productions, like Stagecoach Mary, the first Black Woman to deliver mail for the US Postal System in Montana, in the 1890's, spread the word.

Peace

2/24/2012 6:31 PM

81,439

Anonymous commented…

Keep history alive by telling that history:

Peace.

2/24/2012 9:39 PM

81,439

Anonymous commented…

Keep history alive by telling that
history:

Read the greatest 'historical
novel', Rescue at Pine Ridge, the first generation of Buffalo Soldiers. The
website is: http://www.rescueatpineridge.c... This is the greatest story of Black
Military History...5 stars Amazon Internationally, and Barnes & Noble. Youtube commercials are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Rescue at Pine Ridge is the story
of the rescue of the famed 7th Cavalry by the 9th Cavalry Buffalo
Soldiers. The 7th Cavalry was
entrapped again after the Little Big Horn Massacre, fourteen years later, the
day after the Wounded Knee Massacre. If it wasn't for the 9th Cavalry Buffalo
Soldiers, there would of been a second massacre of the 7th Cavalry. This story is about, brutality,
compassion, reprisal, bravery, heroism, redemption and gallantry.

Youll enjoy the novel that
embodies the Native Americans, Outlaws and African-American/Black soldiers,
from the south to the north, in the days of the Native American Wars with the
approaching United States of America.

The novel was taken from my mini-series movie with the
same title, RaPR to keep the story alive. The movie so far has the
interest of, Mr. Bill Duke, Hill Harper, Glynn Turman, James Whitmore Jr.,
Reginald T. Dorsey and a host of other major actors in which we are in talks
with, in starring in this epic American story.

When you get a chance, also please
visit our Alpha Wolf Production website at; http://www.alphawolfprods.com and see
our other productions, like Stagecoach Mary, the first Black Woman to deliver
mail for the US Postal System in Montana, in the 1890's, spread the word.

Peace.