You see when I was asked to do a Black History Month performance , I did what any logical poet would do. I ran to my desk and began writing away, but as I delved further into the deepest regions of my mind to look for poeticism to help capture and enlighten this beautiful audience today. I encountered a daunting question. Why do we celebrate black History Month?
You see Black history Month is a contradicting, conflicting, paradoxical statement. (Wait... Wait... Wait... I hope haven't scared you guys yet.) Black history cannot be allocated to a month because Black History is ongoing, always occurring, even as we speak. And also I don't mean to brag we got too many inventions, too much culture, too many achievements, and tooooo much pride to be contained in one month. I mean am I right ?
Now before I digress into a seemingly never-ending list that knows no bounds, let me express the prominent key facts:
Black History didn't start with the slave trade yet we still revert to that as the starting point
Let's take it back
Septimus Severus--the black Roman emperor
Egypt is in Africa
We built the pyramids
We invented irrigation -- the artificial application of water to land to assist plant growth which sustains human life.
Basically we had civilization before it was civil.
If you don't believe me check Mitochondrial Eve.
Speaking of Greatness let's not forget the Black Arabs who made contributions to math, science, and astronomy. Abu-Al Qasim the father of modern surgery. Ibn Yunus did to astronomy what Newton did for physics. The same with al-Khwarizmi for algebra.
Flash-forward excuse me I mean fast-forward to the 19th Century. Speaking of light, Thomas Edison invented the light bulb but Lewis Latimer perfected it.
Let me explain, originally Edison's invention had a lifespan of a couple days.
But Latimer created a filament system that prevented the carbon from breaking. Thereby extending its lifespan ((and)) spurring its widespread usage.
Fast-forward to the 21st century ya'll know the rest.
From Malcolm X to Marcus Garvey need I say more.
Every year we recite the same facts and act like we're making progress and we're actually doing something. I mean what are we really doing? I mean seriously by keeping Black History Month in place it serves as a cultural oppressor and a reminder that we haven't made enough progress for our history to implemented into our Eurocentric education system and to be looked and recognized as on par with whites.
Black History is important.
It needs to start being covered in our curriculum.
Stop the absurdity and end Black History Month.
#365not28
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Why Black History Month Must End!
PoetryBlack history month was created to bring us out of the marginalized sections of the notebook and into the spotlight. Now we are in the spotlight. But continuing to celebrate Black History Month we're acting as if nothing has changed. Black history i...
