Freeman on Black History, Essay Example

Introduction

The opening statement

There are millions of holidays throughout the year that get a lot of people’s attention, St. Patrick’s Day, 4^th of July and Christmas. However, there are some holidays that some people really do not care for such as Valentine’s Day or Halloween. Black History month is another such “holiday” that most people do not care for, it is a time of the year that some people feel should be forgotten and erased from the hearts and minds of those who was ever told about it as well as what it entailed. It can be argued that Black History Month should still be honored because it is a prominent piece of history that should get everyone including African Americans’ respect because of the rights that African Americans are entitled to today. Personally, Black History Month should not be celebrated, remembered or even mentioned in the United States because of the associated racism element of Black History Month. Black History Month should not celebrated in the United States because there are tons of history books that talk about the triumphs, and struggles of the African American race. It is also likely to make some people in some races feel inferior in the aspect that because African Americans have a whole month to themselves, they are the chosen superior race after all. There are many African Americans as well as myself who feel that Black History Month should not exist because African Americans do not want to be reminded of how lucky they are to be descended from slaves and free, it is an insult to their character because many African Americans will say that Black History Month do not define them; this is why most of them would rather forget it. Most African Americans, and myself believe that Black History Month gives African Americans nothing to be thankful for. Black History Month is the most pointless national holiday in existence should never have been celebrated in the first place, and this paper will argue why.

Body

The Pain

A big reason why Black History Month should cease to exist in the United States is because people just do not care, African Americans do not care about Black History Month because to them it is not a national holiday. It is a painful reminder of what their ancestors went through in order for them to be entitled to the rights and privileges that everyone else have today, no African American wants to be reminded every February that they are the inferior race; 394 years and nothing has changed for them. As an African American male, I have always been against Black History Month because it is a holiday that has no significant purpose or probable cause to celebrate. Another reason why I am against a Black History Month in the United States is because I feel like it promotes racism in the aspect that people black people are still showcased as the N word and still looked down upon, this national holiday does more harm than good. Another general reason why I hate Black History month and why it should be abolished is because I feel it gives black people a stupid reason to still hold on to the pain and hate of their ancestors, a lot of black families are choosing to still keep their children from dating anyone outside of their race. Sadly, a lot of African Americans do make beautiful babies, but most parents of these children feel that it is better to honor their ancestors by clearly dating inside their race only. Even worse, the children eventually adopt their racist parent’s views and opinions leading to a perpetual downfall of their social circle. I have never been racist and I was always raised to be color blind, Black History Month just gives black people a reason to act ugly to people of the Caucasian race as well as accuse them of being racist. The United States needs to stop celebrating Black History Month because it just gives most black people an excuse to pretend like their world today reflects that of their world 394 years ago when slavery started, racism is still an ugly matter today as it was in the far distant past.

Conclusion

Nothing has changed

The final reason why I feel that the United States needs to end Black History Month as a national holiday is because of all of the racist motivated things that accompany Black History Month such as the television show Roots, I hate that they show this garbage every February for the whole month. The way that black people are portrayed on Roots make me ashamed to be black because it gives me that sense of hopelessness that even though many black leaders have died trying to cure racism, their work and deaths were for naught. Black History Month does not teach anything except for the fact that black people will never not be judged by the color of their skin because of other races of people still judging them, it is sad that most black people cannot except the fact that Black History Month is about as important as a color texture of shallow water vs. deep water. The United States no longer celebrating Black History Month would be a dream come true for those who are not fans of the national holiday that promotes racism, and gives some black people motive to still treat some Caucasian as well as other races of people like dirt because that is how they were treated. Ironically, one of the biggest reasons why Black History Month was so popular was because of Martin Luther King Jr and why just about every black person chose to celebrate heavily during the 1990s. Black History Month should not be celebrated anymore because of the message that it sends to other races that their struggles and pain does not matter only the African American race matters, I hate the message this sends because it makes other races of people think that there is a huge conceitedness within the African American race; which is completely not true. Plus, Black History Month is viewed negatively which is another reason why it should not be celebrated.African Americans of an older generation will argue that Black History Month has significance, but I assure you, it doesn’t!