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Black History Month is Great Time to Celebrate All Races

by Minnie Hawkins  
2/17/2012 / Education

Every February, this country's African American citizens celebrate the accomplishments of other African Americans, some who are still alive and others who have passed on. We recite excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech and we try to imagine what it would have been like to be Harriet Tubman, leading hundreds of slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad. There are others, such as Malcolm X and Louis Farrakhan whose approaches to societal changes in the US were radically different from those of the celebrated Dr. King's, who also had an impact on lives and deserve a place in any celebration.

Even though he may not be at the forefront of popularity, Malcolm X made two of the most profound statements African Americans can ever hear. One was, "Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." While speaking to a group of youth he said, "Without education, you're not going anywhere in this world."

It is good to celebrate history but even better to look to a bright future. Highly educated adults who are today's youth will shape that future. I admit that I worry sometimes about the outlook for our African American children. I wonder if in fifty years, will there be any new names added to the list of celebrity for accomplishments other than sports. I am not alone in worrying. Educators worry and try to make early, effective, instructive interventions. Politicians worry. They designate money and make legislation aimed at fixing situations that affect the futures of our youths.

Bill Cosby, a prominent figure in his own right, also worries to the point of being highly criticized in our African American community for taking a stand on the importance of education. In speeches, he has called for African American parents to place the highest priority on education, self-respect, and self-improvement. He has pleaded for parents to educate their children on the many different aspects of American culture so that they have healthy, balanced lives.

While it is great to celebrate our heritage, ancestry and accomplishments, African Americans are a part of a bigger society, that being Americans and it is important to celebrate all races and humanity in general. I recall a commercial that drove home this point. In the commercial, the words African American were replaced with the word, American. That is who we are, more correctly citizens of the United States of America because our Canadian and Mexican brothers and sisters are also Americans. If we remove our skin, is there any difference between my Caucasian and Hispanic sisters and me? God used a common design on us all.

I came across a book titled, Let's Talk About Race, by author, Julius Lester, in which he makes the point beautifully that we are more than skin color. Mr. Lester wears African American skin and is of the Jewish religion. In the book, he writes about his family, favorite foods, preferred time of day, medical condition, and other traits. He writes that he is a story and that every other human being is a story too. His point is if all we ever see in each other is skin color, we miss knowing the person under it. He leaves his readers with the perfect solution stating, "I'll take off my skin. Will you take off yours"?

Celebrate African American history, by all means, but let us also celebrate Hispanics, Caucasians, Jews, Asians, American Indians, and people who may not know what tag to hang on themselves because they are of a mixed ancestry. A better idea is to celebrate all humanity and see greatness in every person, eliminating the need to wear race labels, as we all try to live together on this big ball we call Earth.

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