American History

By: Rachael Seidl

The following is an excerpt from Mike Wallace’s interview of Morgan Freeman on CBS’ 60 Minutes:

Wallace: Black History Month you find...

Freeman: Ridiculous.

Wallace: Why?

Freeman: You’re going to regulate my history to a month?

Wallace: Oh, come on.

Freeman: What do you do with yours? Which month is White History Month?

Wallace: Well, I’m Jewish.

Freeman: Okay. Which month is Jewish History Month?

Wallace: There isn’t one.

Freeman: Oh, oh. Why not? Do you want one?

Wallace: No.

Freeman: Right. I don’t either. I don’t want a Black History Month. Black history is American history.

However honorable our intentions are with Black History Month, Morgan Freeman brings up an interestingly negative opinion on their effect. Black History Month has always been a month for respect; it is dedicated to the remembrance of important people and events in the history of African Americans. Though the ultimate goal of Black History Month is to establish respect and honor, does it really only establish a boundary line? Tickle your brain with thought-- can honor be negative?

According to Freeman, yes. The history of African Americans should not be limited to one month. However you have to take into account our need, as human beings, to hold knowledge of our past, both right and wrong. George Santayana stated it most eloquently with the famous quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” He is absolutely right. We need to learn from our mistakes. Black History Month is a great way to spread awareness and to promote interest and knowledge of the hardships African American people have faced throughout history, especially in the United States.

Freeman still brings about a valid argument, but his wording is misleading. He places the negative side of Black History Month not on the goal, but the name. Finding Black History Month to be a misnomer, you cannot limit the history of a race to one month. However you can focus one month on the history of our country, and in that one month recognize our mistakes in order to better our future. Racism grows with obsession. Black history is American history.