EDITORIAL: Righting historical wrongs
Every February, the same question inevitably returns: "Why do we need Black History Month?"
The purpose of Black History Month is to celebrate a diverse culture and educate the masses about the history and culture of our country's African American population.
The need for education on black history has not declined since it was first recognized by the U.S. government in 1976.
As former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall said, "The United States has been called the melting pot of the world. But it seems to me that the colored man either missed getting into the pot or he got melted down."
In the past, black history and culture has been celebrated only to the extent that a white-dominanted society deemed it appropriate, effectively silencing a large portion of our country. Black History Month is necessary right that wrong and to give the black community the equal voice it always deserved.
It may be more vital than ever for students on this campus, who live among little diversity.
Here at Central Michigan University, the student body is predominantly white, with African Americans making up only 6.6 percent of the total on-campus population. All minorities comprise 12.6 percent of the total.
People are generally more knowledgeable about their own culture than they are about others.
Through educational and cultural events, Black History Month exposes students to the history, struggles and accomplishments of a group they otherwise wouldn't know much about. Through this education, we can better understand, and interact, with our fellow students.
CMU has made strides to make campus a more ethnically diverse and inclusive place. Final updates to former university President Rao's "Charges to Increase Diversity" were made in 2009. They included bringing a "champion" for diversity to campus, looking for ways to improve the university's services for expanding diversity and plans to give recommendations to the 2008 Strategic Plan for Advancing Diversity.
While these efforts are appreciated, encourage the university to continue working to diversify the student population. A diverse student body is educated with a well-rounded world view.
To view a list of Black History Month events you can participate in on campus, visit the Multicultural Academic Student Services website.
Outside this university, society still deals with racial tension. Acts of police brutality against black males have become prevalent in the public consciousness. Black men are now 21 times more likely to be killed by police officers than white men according to an analysis by ProPublica.
The first step to reducing discrimination is understanding. Understanding is achieved through education. To do away with the largest annual event that educates the largest number of people about African American history and culture would be foolish to say the least.
For so long, American history has been written by the white elite. Black History Month is still necessary today to share the African American history that has been wrongly overlooked and silenced.
After all, black history is American history. Our country is not complete without it.
