Discussing
Black History Month and the common language of Christ

Ahem, sister

My niece in New York heard classmates ask "Why don't we have white history month?" She replied "Every month is white history month." There is some truth to that.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson said quite plainly that if what was then called Negro History was done well, it would eventually become unnecessary. He said the point was not "History of the Negro," but rather "The Negro in History." A good deal of OUR history (all of ours) had been carefully removed or callously overlooked, and needed to be restored to its rightful place. People designated "white" and "black" have never lived lives in isolation from each other. In reality we are closely interwoven, but history doesn't teach us the full story.

Badly done, Black History doesn't repair that breach. If it is well done, we are simply all called to stand in the gap that remains until it is indiscernible. As for the church being segregated, the only way that will end is if we start visiting each other more, maybe even joining churches without regard to whether everyone inside looks like us. That takes time.

Some years ago, the Southern Baptist Convention announced they were launching an effort to invite more Americans of African descent to join their church. I thought, it is admirable they are making an effort -- they are, after all, a church that owes its distinct existence to a difference with the General Baptist Convention over whether slavery is evil or divinely ordained and approved by Scripture. But, I doubt that people whose families have poured ten generations of sweat and tears, tithes and offerings, into building the churches they belong to will come running out crying "Hallelujah, the Southern Baptists will take us back!"

A lot of interesting thought going on here! Thanks for the post, Kimberly. I stumbled across this post on a Google search. You and/or your readers my be interested in By Their Strange Fruit, a blog about racism and Christianity:
http://bytheirstrangefruit.blo...

This post, on the importance of the issue, is a good place to begin: http://bytheirstrangefruit.blo...

Also one on Black History Month specifically:
http://bytheirstrangefruit.blo...

Love your informative research. You never said whether your for or against. Black History Month is not about religion. Black History Month is a time to explore who we are as a people. Italians have celebrations, Mexicans have a month to celebrate their heritage. Irish have various major celebrations through out the year. Saint Patty's day is my favorite.

I am Christian and I am black. I belong to no one race or group of people. I am only American because I was born America. I have no personal ties to any other people or history.

My religion and my culture is not the same. I am not black because I have ancestors who I know came from Africa. I am black because I have a history that has been erased. My heritage has been erased by blacks and whites who have not told me or properly been able to keep records of who my ancestors really may be.

That is what black history is about. It is about the struggle of people who have had their freedom, heritage,faith and history muddled, erased and rewritten. We celebrate the right to rediscover who we might, can, and will become. That is the black struggle. The hope is all the blacks who have over come the hardship of being black to invent, explore, and become leaders. That is truly what we as a Black Race Celebrate in February. They can do it without knowing their rightful personal history...then just maybe I can do it too.