February, 2021
Well, it has been awhile since I last posted. Last year, had been a year to say the least. From managing to survive a pandemic, to experiencing civil unrest in Washington D.C., to even just trying to plan a wedding (that had to be postponed). 2020 did not leave me with much extra energy to focus on writing about the events that I and we all experienced. Now, as life slowly starts to stabilize (we still have a long way to go of course) I am finding that I do want to recount all that happened in 2020. In honor of Black History Month, I would like to start with reflecting on the Black Lives Matter movement and to encourage people that even though the core of BLM protests have passed, we cannot forget about all that must be done to promote equity and justice in the U.S.
I am fortunate to live close enough to Washington D.C. where I am able to experience first-hand the peaceful protests of the BLM movement in 2020. I also acknowledge that my privilege means that I do not experience the same struggles that members of the BIPOC community experience and that I am called to use any platform possible to express support. What I have learned from observing the BLM movement is that while the crux of issues revolve around police brutality, supporters cannot discount other challenges that the BIPOC community face. One such issue that fascinates me is the how U.S. history is taught from a white-male perspective. As an individual who identifies as an anthropologist at heart, I fundamentally believe that our history fuels who we are today.
The U.S. history that is currently taught in schools failed me and fails us. Yes, we learned about slavery and we learned about the Trail of Tears for the Cherokee community, among others. History explained that these events happened; however, history in schools did not elaborate on the extent of the impact that these events have had on their respective communities. Without this knowledge we cannot empathize with others to the degree that is now needed in the U.S.
U.S. history curriculum failed me in particular in that I never learned about Juneteenth (Or I failed in understanding history). I never knew how important of a holiday it is for the Black community. As a holiday that commemorates of those who have been enslaved, this day should be a national holiday, whether you are black or white or some other minority. Every community in the U.S. could commemorate the day in different ways. It is a wonderful day of celebration for the Black community, and for me, a white woman, I intend to view Juneteenth as a day of reflection, and activism to show solidarity with BIPOC communities. Juneteenth should be a day where everyone has the opportunity to reflect, learn, and grow in regards to the horrors of U.S. history. In addition to Juneteenth, I had never learned about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. We learn about so many massacres throughout the world, but how can we ignore such travesties in our own back door. Since it has been a few years since I attended school, I can only hope that U.S. history taught in our schools has improved on their curriculum. If not, then it becomes even more important to educate ourselves on our own history so that we can learn from our mistakes.
Please refer to the following resources to learn about various issues facing BIPOC communities. Please support organizations that promote equity, justice and truth in the U.S.
Black History Resources:
- The US still does a wretched job of teaching Black history
- The Status of Black History in U.S. Schools and Society
- From Juneteenth to the Tulsa massacre
- Carter Center for K-12 Black History Education
- National Museum of African American History & Culture
Police Brutality and BLM Resources:
Until next time,
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