“Why I Dread Black History Month”

In “Why I Dread Black History Month,” Joseph introduces his listeners to the reasons why he has repeatedly chosen not to celebrate Black History Month, which is held in February each year. He is upset about the event's lack of importance, pointing out in particular that it struggles to capture the full background of African Americans in the United States. According to Joseph, February can only be treated as a "thriving shrine of tokenism" to African-American culture (Joseph, Wayne). The fact that he dreads the arrival of February is a rational response, considering that he is a black American who knows the occasion's insignificance. Agreeably, Black History Month ought to be treated with the contempt it deserves.

The practice of isolating a specific month to celebrate the African-American contribution to American History, in my opinion, bears racist connotations. It is conspicuously odd that the system dedicates one month to celebrate the achievement of one race. There are not celebrations titled “White History Month” or “Latino History Month” for example. One wonders why the African-American community deserves such exclusive in a society that is so racially diverse as to have an entire month dedicated to its history. The motive is suspicious. I opine that Black History Month portrays the black community as a marginalized segment of the society that requires special attention more than it is a reverence to African-American achievement. Such only boils down to subtle racial discrimination. In fact, Joseph rightly asserts that “the past of black Americans is handled in an expedient and cavalier fashion denigrating the very people it seeks to honor” (Joseph, Wayne).

Joseph ultimately implores black parents to “instill in children a sense of their own history” (Joseph, Wayne). Arguably, such would be the ideal means of ensuring the preservation of the history of the black community. It is more reasonable to pass down African-American heritage in this manner than celebrating it on a monthly basis.

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Works Cited

Joseph, Wayne. "Why I Dread Black History Month." Newsweek, 2017, http://www.newsweek.com/why-i-dread-black-history-month-190434.