2016’s Black History Month was beyond lit. Everything from Beyoncé’s Super Bowl show to Kendrick’s Grammys performance to Prince’s iconic passport picture, has been a celebration of how dope it is to be a black person. That being said, I think it’s time to clear up some of the controversies and misconceptions surrounding the events of February 2016.
Black History month is not racist. Sorry Stacey Dash.
Sorry haters, but no “Well, why isn’t there a white history month” is not a valid argument in my book because in America, every day is white history month. This is due to the fact that from the moment Africans were brought to America, there was a goal to erase our pride and put us on the bottom of society. It became institutionalized to believe that white was right.
As a black person who has been through the whitewashed system that is public school, I can tell you so many random facts about white people who are deemed important by society. However, if it weren’t for my amazing parents and my desire to learn more than what is just handed to me, I would have no idea about the rich history of my people. And no, I am not talking about learning about MLK and Rosa Parks (no shade, they’re amazing people) but I am talking about learning about Marcus Garvey, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Hughey Newton, W.E.B Du Bois and Nina Simone.
I realized everyday was dedicated to white history when I was expected to remember the names and order of King Henry VIII’s wives but my black peers had no idea who Haile Selassie, Fela Sowande or Josephine Baker were let alone their impact on society. This lack of representation has done so much damage in the black community. We are taught that our history is not worth learning; therefore we are not worth learning about because we are not significant.
That is why Black History Month is necessary. Also, just because something does not include white people does not mean it’s racist. And for a side note: how is black history month racist but making a movie in 2016 based around African history with all white actors isn’t? I’m talking about the atrocity that is “Gods of Egypt.” Just food for thought.
Beyoncé’s song Formation, as well as her performance at the Super Bowl, is not racist.
I am going to attempt to separate my love for Beyoncé with the real issue at hand: people are upset that Formation is not a song “for” everyone. And I understand the frustration of not being able to fully enjoy a song handed to us by the Queen of 21st century entertainment, but my only advice is to get over it.
Yes, Beyoncé declared that she is unapologetically black with lyrics like, “I like my Negro nose with Jackson 5 nostrils,” and a video that depicts a young black boy dancing in front of a line of police officers. Sorry to break it to you guys but Beyoncé is black, she is a part of the black community and black issues do affect her. That being said, Beyoncé is just as angry as the rest of us. We are angry that we have been oppressed for centuries.
We are angry that there is deterioration within our own community due to the psychological damage done from being treated so poorly for generations. We are angry that we are expected to “get back up” when the system is against us. We are angry that there are little black girls who believe they are less than beautiful because of the color of their skin. We are angry with issues that we need to address within our own community before we address repairing our roller coaster relationship with society.
That being said, I think it is beautiful that Beyoncé used her insanely huge platform to start a conversation about these issues. Yes, I can see where the tribute to the Black Panthers could rub some people the wrong way. (I can link you guys to some helpful resources explaining the truth behind the iconic group from the 70s here, here and here). But if you want to use her nod to the Black Panthers as an argument, you could say that any white person who idealizes George Washington or Thomas Jefferson is racist because those men owned slaves. Yes, “the times were different,” but so were the times when the Panthers were around. That was a time when black people were getting lynched for making a facial expression, so yes I would imagine we were a bit defensive. Also, here are some links to Beyoncé enjoying her time with numerous white people so sit down.
#BlackLivesMatters is still 100 percent necessary.
According to the movement’s website, “#BlackLivesMatter is a call to action and a response to the virulent anti-Black racism that permeates our society.” The movement began in 2012 Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, and Zimmerman was acquitted for the crime. In that moment, and many moments after, numerous members of the black community rose to action and threw the social media movement into momentum. Of course with any strong opinion, there are the naysayers and the haters. There are people who believe that by focusing on the injustices in the black community we are belittling the struggle of other people. This has just got to stop.
#BlackLivesMatters is still necessary merely because there people out here who are screaming, “No, ALL, lives matter!!!!” It is still necessary because there are people out there who want to shut down any type of advancement in the black community. Black lives matters is necessary because from the beginning of American history we have been taught that all lives matter, except ours. Regardless of your opinion on police brutality, your political affiliation or your religion, if you have a basic education you should be able to admit that black lives have not always been valued in the same way as white lives. And, if you have any type of heart you should be able to understand that this history of forced inferiority has profound effects. This movement is so important to our community because it has helped us unify and remember what is truly important.
Pro-black does not mean anti-white.
This is something I take extremely seriously because I believe it ties in to many of the deep-rooted tensions between the two races. Since we, as black people, have been down for so long and many of us have been quite for years, this “sudden” splurge of black pride can seem aggressive. However, it isn’t at all. It is a celebration of loving yourself, which I think is a lesson everyone needs to learn. Just because I am proud of my curl pattern, intense melanin and naturally thick lips does not mean that I do not see the beauty in fair skin and pin straight hair. My first true love was a white man with the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen and the blondest hair known to man. I appreciated his unique beauty as much as I love my deep chocolate eyes and brown sugar complexion.
What we forget is that for so long we have been taught that our blackness was wrong and whiteness was right, when in reality all people are beautiful for unique reasons and it is so important to see the beauty in ourselves. I like to put it this way: I am my family’s biggest supporter and loudest cheerleader. That being said, just because I have so much love and admiration for my family does not mean I don’t see the beauty in other families. The same thing goes for my appreciation for my people: I love being black but I have nothing against being white. Let us celebrate and let us be happy, not everything is about white people. Sometimes I want to bask in the light of my blackness without having to worry about hurting the feelings of others.
White people are allowed to be involved in black history month
Finally, I want to express how important it is for everyone to be involved in black history month. Whether it is for positive or negative reasons, our history has affected every person on this planet in some way. At the end of the day, no matter how cliché it is, we are all human and we have to coexist on this amazing planet together. So, why not be a white ally and care about the injustices of your peers and learn the struggles of someone else. In the same way that it is important to be an advocate for the LGBTQ community, even if you’re straight, it’s okay to be an advocate for the black community. We all need to be fighters for humanity and recognize when there needs to be a change in the system, and that time is now.
