Our People Deserve More
Does Black History Month Reduce the Struggle for Racial Equality?
Story by Kefing Aperto-Berry // art by Wesley Vara

Picture a skinny, big headed mixed kid with curly wavy hair. Well, that was me. The kid everybody tripped out on like, “What is he Black, Middle-Eastern, Cuban or what?” I would always have to tell people I was Black, Filipino, Portuguese and Navajo Indian. I remember always being reminded of my ethnicity by people cracking jokes about me being confused about who I was. I also remember every school year in February celebrating the death of Dr. Martin Luther King along with black history month. Back then all I cared about was getting the day off from school but now I understand the importance of educating people about the accomplishments of African Americans and their struggles in this country.   It kind of messes me up inside because I'm mixed, but America only celebrates the black culture piece of me.   As I grew older, I made peace with celebration of only part of me, America doesn't really acknowledge all cultures anyhow, and atleast we can star with Black culture.    I'm just not sure of holidays, and remembrance months, actually helps the struggle of black people.

Certainly, making Dr. Martin Luther King's death a national holiday is the least our government could do. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging our leaders of the past, but things that go on in Black History Month, the acknowledgement of both hardship and achievement should be an active practice, not just a short-lived moment in time.   If all we do is limit one day and one month out of the year to educating people about the African American experience, then we are only pacifying racial inequality that is still brewing in America today.

It hasn't been until recently that I have really begun to understand why it is important to learn about the history of blacks in America. Reading about all the things black folks went through back in the days made me realize I have nothing to complain about. I have friends of all races and colors and just to know that 50 years ago I would be killed for even speaking to a white person bugs me out. Since so many people of all colors have given their lives, just so I can sit in the same space as other people, brings me to the reality that I owe my life to the fight for equality for all people. Forgive but never forget. Four hundred years of slavery and one hundred years of Jim Crow are not so easy to erase.  

You cannot simply say that racism does not exist in America any more just because we have a national holiday for Dr. MLK Jr. and a black history month, which is the shortest month of the year. Though some blacks in the 21 st century have gained access to more opportunities and money, that does not speak to the problem of equality of all our people. We have prominent black actors, sports stars and musicians but when it comes to political power, blacks still have little to no identity. Most of the blacks who ever had any political influence are dead now. Even more troubling is that the leaders that young black people can look to for inspiration are all part of the past.   People like Malcolm X, Dr. MLK Jr., Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois helped to educate all Americans about the importance of racial equality, but they are gone, part of history. The black leaders of today are not at all like our black leaders of the past.   

The rich history of Blacks has fueled me to fight for freedom for all people. Just because we can eat, shop, dance and work with whites does not mean that life in America is equal across the board for blacks. Still that does not negate the fact that we have barley come out of an era where blacks were considered three fourths of a human. The adversity that black people have faced over the years has created a culture built around poverty and hopelessness.

It's just not enough to speak on what wrongs have been done, but in addition, we need to apply solutions into our everyday practice. Simply treating people the way we in turn want to be treated is a step in the right direction.   Engaging in more multiracial teachings in school would help to break stereotypes and educate young people about the different cultures that make up our world. In addition, sharing with people what beautiful things can be found in cultural difference instead of being afraid of people that are different.

This is an ongoing process that deserves the energy and attention from all that are exposed to injustice. This is not to say that steps have not been taken, but it is speaking to the question of what can be done to alleviate the problem of racial injustice at this point in time.