I thoroughly enjoy this time of year. I get to see more information about black history. I get to enjoy learning new things. Until it can be incorporated into the 'regular' history, I am very fine with this compromise. I know alot of folx hate it. I know alot of folx think it is wrong. I think I truly like the Ideal of various histories being focused on at different times. I have become more interested in history as I have become older. I am looking at this documentary on PBS concerning Two Families. One the descendents of Slaves and the other the SlaveOwners in a South Carolina town. Listening to their stories, both sides, are intriquing. I don't think either side truly has a true understanding in how it shaped their lives. Influenced their lives. I find their intercommunication invigorating. I can see IMO that they still are not 100% open to each other but they are as open as I have seen. Somethings .. some hurts . . . are not so easily brought to the surface. Various economic Ideas come up in this documentary. There is the story of 'JIM'. The lady spoke about how over the years her family basically had him as a retainer. He did odd jobs etc. He inked out a living on 'whatever they would give him'. How are the end her Grandmother had to write the Social Security to try to get him some kind of benefits because he had gotten to the point of being too old to work. In the letter she states how he had been working for them since he was boy .. like his father .. his grandfather. . and his great grandfather. The explained how most of the black folks that worked for them really never charged as much as just took whatever was offered. Even directly stating that the underpaying of these folks allowed them to keep much of the land in their family. Loosely translated enjoy your Black History Month hopefully . . .we will all learn something Rocket River
did you catch "mutinity on the bayou", RR? I missed it, about the worst race riot in houston. Channel 11 aired it last thursday.
Ever heard of the documentary "Family Across the Sea" from around 1990? It is excellent and deals with the connected cultures of Sierra Leone and the Gullah islands of SC. Really powerful stuff in the film.
interesting, I'll have to catch that. I always thought Lousiana blacks were the only ones that carried some of their african culture (with the language, creole, and food) but I've heard that south carolina also has an interesting culture connected to its african roots.
Complate strangers from accross the ocean could talk to each other in their own languages and completely understand each other. Also - the crafts that the Gullah produce (baskets are woven and then wrapped in the same technique, for example) are near identical to those in West Africa. As I said, the film is outstanding. Do look into it. Further fascinating are the brief interviews with people on the streets in SL where they essentially had a whole mythology about what happened to the people that were taken away (many had no clue slavery existed in Europe and the US). Powerful stuff. Georgia also has Gullah, by the way. Basically anywhere that had the similar climate to W Africa - hot, humid, swamp-type land so the slaves would not die on the plantations.
Our company chef has devoted the entire month's menu to Black History Month and lemme tell you something, its been AWESOME!!!!!
I am glad I am not the only one that noticed that! But again, he reverts to his usual self towards the end, which makes me think he copy and pasted the first part
Cool, just make sure to check your cholestrol level when the month ends. BTW, isn't it pretty telling that Blacks get the shortest month of the year?
There shouldn't be a "Black History Month" because Black history is American history. I am paraphrasing Morgan Freeman of course but I do agree with him.
Not to diss Morgan . . until it is fully incorporated I will keep it. . . thank you very much ONE MORE THING I don't think focusing on a difference history every month is bad I think a lot of history falls through the cracks and these times allow for more scrutiny I mean . .how many times do you hear about G Washington not that he ain't important .. but his story is told and retold like in just about every level . . you take college history BOOM you hear about George again . . .History is so vast you will NEVER get everything in .. so we as a society celebrating a history . . any history . . is a good thing we need more of it Next Month is Woman's Month I think . . I look forward to some interesting specials there too. Rocket River
One part of Texas history that I always found fascinating is the history of the Black Cowboy. Few people realize how vital the black cowboy was to Texas. http://www.tamu.edu/upress/books/2000/scatalog/massey.htm
We should have a White history month, a Hispanic history month, An Asian history month, and so on and so forth...
i missed this entirely! i've read about this before. this is back when soldiers were training in Memorial Park, right? do you know if it will be re-aired?
"whites" don't have a shared history here the blacks do, though. the experience of my Irish family coming off the boats is very different from the Dutch family who did so.
I think there should be a White History Month. I believe there are many things that Blacks and Hispanics don't know about our beautiful European heritage that they could learn.
Come on, Blacks have just as fragmented a history here as Whites do. Do you really think all American Blacks have a common West African origin?
