Why Italy

Why is it that black people only have a black month for their history?

You dont hear Italian History month, Chinese History month and i can go on and on, but with black people WE DO(Black History Month) and i would like to kno why......to me its ashame how our history has been forgotten and lost!!!!

Public Comments

1. Hold on a minute here, you mean to tell me that there is not a White History month? Something's not right here. Seems like we are favoring one race over another. Is that the right thing to do to create racial harmony in the US?
2. well hipanics have our own history month also! and for italy and china! i bet they have there own months and you dont even know it!
3. Well but the Italians and chinese were never slaves!
4. I think you meant to word your question as "Why is it that only black people have a history month?" or something to that effect right? In answer to your question, African Americans have suffered more at the hands of the American government than any other ethnicity except the Native Americans. True, Asian Americans were displaced and placed into interment camps during the second World War, but they were released. African Americans were brought to this country purely to be enslaved. Furthermore, they are not the only ethnicity to have a month celebrating them. September 15 through October 15 is "Hispanic Heritage Month" and has been since its inception in 1988. You are absolutely right though. I believe that every month should be devoted to the history of different ethnic groups. I am of Irish and Cherokee descent and I feel its about time that the other 10 months out of the year be split up. Stop letting white people have damn near the entire year.
5. I think black history month does more to encourage separation and prejudice then promote understanding of the black race. Imagine a Nazi month or a White month remembering the good old days of slavery... It wouldn't be perceived as positive, nor should it be!!! Misguided...that is what i think///
6. I agree with "zer0_dork" that your question doesn't make any sense! I also agree with him that African Americans were only brought here to the United States of America for the purpose of being slaves. Any ethnic group that have gone through that deserve to have a History Month. I also agree with "allie n elsa n" there are many other ethnic groups and I am sure they have there own History Months that you don't even know about.
7. The black man been oppressed by white man sinice before time. The black man built the pyramids with his powerful mine and intelligence not with slaves like in the white history books. White man oppress the black and enslave him with the weapons like gunpowder that were invented in Africa and stolen by the white man because the black man was peaceful. Blacks were on the moon before whites--evidence proves this and everything else was stolen from him. It will take many more than one month to teach Amemrica about this oppression.
8. To be blunt, I believe Black History Month was created as a meek salve for the wounds of the recent enslavement of black Americans. It is important to note, however, that being white means you have no slaves in your past. If you have Polish ancestry, like myself, your people were more than likely crushed countless times by Russian forces. Note that my example is not to trivialize or belittle the horrible acts heaped upon the blacks. It's merely showing the political motivations behind Black History Month. Hopefully, with time, Black History Month will go away. We won't need it, because we won't see black or white Americans; we'll merely see Americans. If I'm not incorrect, I believe Dr. King would side with me on this interpretation.
9. I wonder the same thing. a lot of different races and cultures have gone through hard things, like Jewish people during the Holocaust, but there is no Jewish History month as far as i know.
10. There is a Black History Month because blacks got together and started it years ago to promote interest in their own history. If you want to have more attention pid to the history of whate your ancestors came from, try showing as much initiative as African-Americans have. No one's stopping you.
11. Other races have months they just aren't as publicized as black history month. Also in the more ethnically diverse cites (NY and Los Angeles) there are weeks or days for different groups. (i.e. the Puerto Rican Day Parade).
12. Because the squeeky wheel gets the grease. Blacks have been crying since 1619 that they are the only race that has been mistreated, the only race that are victims of racism or hatred, and the only race that deserves special attention. Therefore white lawmakers have been shamed into setting aside black history month to shut them up. Of course it hasn't worked. Now they complain because it is the shortest month of the year. Blacks have sadly become professional complainers. This is a monster that has society has created and it will be a long time before this monster is silenced. You are right there is no Asian History month, no White History month, no Native American history month, etc... It is a Pandora's Box, when once opened reveals the hypocrasy among black Americans. In reality, blacks don't want equal treatment, they want special treatment. Which ironically is the definition of racism. Isn't that the greatest kick in the pants of the last 200 years. The race that CLAIMS to be the biggest VICTIMS of racism are actually the BIGGEST proponents of racism. Who would have thunk?
13. Actually there is Latino history month in October. And I think Jewish people have thier own month. But I think the reason we have those 2 months is because Latinos and Blacks have suffered and are still suffering more than some other races at the hands of America.
14. For your information there is a Heritage Month Asian ---in April Jewish Heritage --in January Hispanic--Sep 15--Oct-15 American-Indian--Nov Black--February The reason why have their Heritage Months to educated people. Try to elimimate the stereotyped and ignorant about their cultures. To show the great contribution they made to USA. In American White Cultures all been taught thru Grade & High School. If any Culture wish to celebrate their history, celebrate it. I been to Itailians, Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Irish, Swedish, German, and many more Celebrations. Do not hate, just Celebrate and educate yourself.
15. It is a shame that ALL the people you mention don't happen to be from this country in the first place. and you wonder why they forgot their history. Assimilation has stripped not only African Americans from the culture but others as well. IT IS UP to US to study and don't forget where we came from. U do the same
16. i love the fact that for years upon years to the present, the dominate group, which just so happens to be white males, complain that black people seperate themselves when they are the ones who told us we were different and seperate in the first place, but when we and other ethnicities embrace that people get scared and leave comments about reverse discrimination (which doesn't make sense, discrimination is discrimination and racism is racism there is no reverse action there). Ask you parents what they learned about black history in school. Probably nothing. How many classes have you sat in and they told you your history began on a cotton field in the south (no disrespect to my enslaved ancestors, I have the upmost respect). You still believe Abe freed the slaves? Did you learn about West African kingdoms and great rulers like Sundiata and Mansa Musa? We surely study Chinese Dynasties and European monarchies, but when it comes to Africa we focus on Ancient Egypt and everywhere else is seen as uneducated tribes who need White Jesus to save them. Why is there a Black HIstory Month? Because Blacks were told they had no history, at least not one to be proud of. Carter G. Woodson came and saw the importance of black hisory. The system of American slavery was called Chattel slavery which was a very different form of slavery than any other places in the world. White people didn't give US Black history month. We FOUGHT and DIED for black history month and to b honored as equals. In a perfect world, where people really are color blind we wouldn't need black history month, but America is far from that, if you don't believe me, would any of the people in here who aren't black if they could would change their skin to black....if not y? There has to be a reason why you wouldn't. Maybe its because you realize there still is racism. O and if I hear one more thing about White History Month I will slap someone with every history book I've ever read from k-12. I can tell you all about White History...can you tell me all about black history beyond MLK Jr. and Rosa Parks. The internet really proves the racism many people still harbor and are less likely to show if it was there real pictures there instead of avatars. The fact that the one person on here says that a people who were ripped from their homeland had their religion, culture, language and gods beaten out of them. Raped (men and women were raped by slavemasters. Families torn apart. Lets go to present day and read the news about the treatment of young black (and latino) men by police. Or how about this war against meth because its a middle class drug when crack has been ruining hoods for years. Lets talk about that. By saying black people are complainers, you are shutting down dialogue and letting everyone know exactly where your mind set is and are just another ignorant person who lacks the ability to identify with other cultures.