Four Reasons Black History is not just American History

I would have a lot of dollars if I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard people suggest that Black History Month is unnecessary because it is American History. This is one of the most common arguments against the month-long holiday you’ll hear, but it often goes unchecked. So today, I will break down the four reasons Black History is not simply American History.

The reasons Black History isn’t just American History.

I don’t disagree that American History encompasses the history of all its subgroups, including Black people. But we are not talking from the perspective of anthropologists or historians. For me personally, American History consists of every single event that took place on the soil of what is today the United States of America and the countries it presently occupies.

However, how things should be and how they are do not always match up. The following four reasons will explain it best!

1. Black people are not just African Americans.

Black History Encompasses all Black History, not just American History.

We get fully immersed in the histories of European civilizations. And although Egypt is in Africa, Ancient Egypt was not the only civilization from that continent. There were also the Nubian, Berber, and Kushite civilizations, to name a few.

Africa has a reputation for being a place stuck in another time and whose people only know violence and hunger. To add insult to injury, we remain ignorant of the destabilization and exploitation African countries have endured for several hundred years. Trauma and resilience aren’t just pillars of the African American identity but of all Black people.

Our highly negative ideas of Africa and its people play out in our media and everyday dialogues. But Africa is so much more than we give it credit for. The giant continent is more than just a vast collection of cultures but rather a melting pot that has influenced the entire world.

We know so little about Africa and its history, directly influencing racist ideas and the belief in White Supremacy. Keeping ourselves ignorant of the History of Africa keeps us ignorant, period.

2. Black History is not limited to history lessons.

While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I opted for an African American Literature course as an elective. I was stunned by how much I did not know. Secondary schools across the US have yet to expose us to the works of James Baldwin, W.E.B. Dubois, Maya Angelou, and Zora Neale Hurston (to name a few).

High school lit comp classes teach us to empathize with white main characters. We read stories from the white perspective that takes place in white society. We learn to admire white authors.

Sure, we read To Kill a Mockingbird, but even that was a book written by a white person about a white lawyer who saves a Black man from suffering the consequences of an unjust legal system. Generations of Americans are educated in white American literature almost exclusively. They walk away, whether consciously or not, conditioned to believe in whites’ higher intellect and capabilities over all others.

I may have completed my course in African American Literature equipped with new perspectives, knowledge, and a newfound appreciation for Black culture, but that was because I signed up for an elective that looked interesting.

Let’s not forget that school districts nationwide are currently removing and fighting to ban books by racial minorities that tackle issues such as racial inequality.

3. Without Black History Month, we would only know whitewashed History.

A common argument made to minimize the consequences of colonization is that Native Americans were already engaging in tribal warfare amongst each other long before Europeans arrived in the Americas. Most recently, Prince William, eldest son of the late Princess Diana and King Charles, was quoted saying that he was shocked about Russia invading Ukraine because “it’s very alien to see this in Europe.” The future king of England thinks the invasion of European countries by European countries and warfare, in general, is ALIEN to Europe. How scary is that!?

Many Americans still argue that the South fought in the Civil War to defend states’ rights (not states’ rights to enslave people). Many continue to support displaying the Confederate flag. It makes sense why most Americans think African American History only entails slavery and the Civil Rights movement during the 1960s. We are taught history from an Anglocentric perspective, and this perspective minimizes wrongdoing and passively supports the idea of Manifest Destiny.

Without Black History Month, we are conditioned to believe an agenda and nothing more. This is a massive disservice to Black Americans and all racial minorities. When we learn and teach new generations about the history of Black and Indigenous people of color, we begin dismantling folk theories on race.

4. The majority of African American History is excluded from American History classes.

This one sort of ties into number three but let me explain!

Black people were here right alongside the English at Jamestown! The first Africans got to the Americas long before the British did through Spanish territories. And they make up a significant aspect of American heritage and identity. So there is no reason we are only taught from a European or Anglocentric perspective when discussing American History.

Did you study the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or Frederick Douglass in high school? Chances are, all you really know about Dr. King is the most famous line from his famous speech and that he was assassinated. Did you explore the events that unfolded during the Reconstruction era? Are you even familiar with the Reconstruction era!? If so, you’d have some understanding of how the US kept Black people under-educated, under-employed and disproportionately impoverished well into the late 20th century. And as a result, millions of Americans remain insensitive to the plight of Black people and ignorant of their achievements and culture.

But isn’t that the point of withholding this knowledge from us?

What this all says about us.

The argument that Black History is American History as a way to discredit its observance as unnecessary is an excellent example of the cultural belief that we already know all there is to know. It shows total and complete arrogance. People continue to make this argument yet fail to acknowledge the return of White Nationalism to mainstream politics. There is a reason why otherwise progressive celebrities have held their wedding ceremonies at plantations and thought nothing of it. There is a reason statues memorializing Confederates still occupy space on American sidewalks and parks. These are all side effects of leaving Black History out of American History.

Black History Month is a time to shine a spotlight on the stories and accomplishments of Black people that are ignored and erased. It’s a chance to ensure that these stories are told and remembered. Without Black History Month, they would likely be lost forever.

The light at the end of the tunnel.

Black people are not just victims but survivors who made advances in the sciences, medicine, and arts.

This holiday won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. I can’t predict what will happen in the foreseeable future, especially not with the increasing hostility in red states. But, for now, Black History Month is here to stay. Take this month to learn something new each week. Follow accounts on social media that teach about Black history and Black culture.

Remember, Black History is not just about the oppression and violence committed against Black people. Black people are not just victims but survivors who made advances in the sciences, medicine, and arts. They built and maintained entire civilizations. A wealth of knowledge is at your disposal that will enrich you no matter your racial identity.

What historical event(s) did you learn about in adulthood that you feel should have been taught when you were in school? Do you have a different take on anything I’ve written? If so, please comment below! I do my best to respond and answer any questions within a few days.

Please note: Hateful comments will get removed. Cara de Gata is a safe space for racial and ethnic minorities and allies alike; my commitment is not to leave hate speech up!

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