Ending the Segregation of History

Although it is usually meant in a respectful and tolerant way, saying something along the lines of "in honor of black history month", is actually quite the opposite in my opinion. Black history month is, in a way, a continuation of racial segregation. By simply existing, Black History Month is implying that "black" history is separate from and not to be included in "regular" history. 

In 1926, when Black History Month's predecessor was created, Negro History Week, the government could have easily gone down a path of integration: changing school curriculums to further incorporate black history. Instead, however, the government confined the area of study to its own separate and extremely unequal time in school curriculum, the month of February, coincidentally the shortest month of the year. (This wasn't the government's only attempt at "separate but equal"). Not only is a separation implied, but it is quite literal. Also, there is the implication, though perhaps it is not intentional, that black history deserves one twelfth the time that "regular" history deserves. 

Perhaps this subtle degradation of black history is why Morgan Freeman has a similar view on the month meant to honor and recognize the historical impact of people of color. In an interview on 60 Minutes, the topic is briefly discussed (brief enough to watch the whole thing). Freeman expresses that it feels as if black history is not so much being recognized but rather being "relegated to one month". In  those words, it sounds almost as if the history of a people is being contained, not celebrated. 

As I mentioned above, Black History Month grew out of Negro History Week, which may be a sign of progress. Not just because of the more respectful word choice, but also because of the longer time spent to recognize black history. Nevertheless, the best way to recognize and observe the history would be to treat it as nothing special, just history. Black history will truly get what it deserves when it is simply called, in the words of Morgan Freeman, American history.