Hey, it's Black History Month!

I love February. It is probably my most nostalgic month of the year. As a child, I hated Black History Month. Why? Because in school we had to learn about Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and MLK for the millionth time. Not that I had any problem with either of them. Quite the opposite. What bothered me was the glossing-over of their stories, their struggles, and the struggle.

In my household, every month was Black History Month. I knew more than my teachers - no matter their race - about the topics they presented in crossword puzzles and stupid quizzes. Black History Month bothered me because it was basically pointless. You can belittle a person or idea that you may honestly mean to uplift if you aren't careful. I couldn't figure out then why they couldn't pick someone other than those three or someone in addition to those three - though they did in small doses. A little Shirley Chisholm would have been interesting, as far as "safe bets" went, I always thought.

As I aged and we were allowed to pick our own people to write about I enjoyed BHM a lot more. I loved to teach, even then, and so I picked interesting people with interesting stories. A lot of my teachers started out afraid that I would be "too radical" which was rather silly, in my opinion, but they soon learned that I had a real interest simply in showing different, dynamic people.

And so began my love affair with Black History Month. I realized then that I could use the month as a time to reflect, consider, and evolve in my own life. It became the start to my personal year and at this point in my life I don't really feel solidly like the new year has begun until 2/1. The silly McDonald's-sponsored Black History Month commercials and all don't even bother me anymore....well, at least not as much as they used to.

In February I always have my personal subs spend some time learning about one of my favorite "notable Black people," and they learn a lot and sometimes even teach me something new. I sometimes make them read one of my favorite books to complement the endeavor. I challenge you guys, the casual readers, to do something similar. Pick a "notable Black person" who you've wondered what all the fuss was about, and find out! Learn as much as you can about them and then answer the question: what was all the fuss about? Of course, you may not have a person who you've ever wondered such about. In that case, pick a "radical". You can never go wrong there. Look up Angela Davis or Assata Shakur or George Jackson or someone along those lines - and I am trying not put a whole list here - and really read their stories. See them as people and see what you think.

For those who are actually desire to be into BFS, however, this should be the start of a lifelong endeavor. All the best to you, either way.

The King of Love was Born (Today)

Today is Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday. As usual on his birthday, I am looking at my own life and the lives of those around me and comparing them to what I know of attitudes around this country and the world. Unfortunately, the recent comments by Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh really ramp up the belief that racism is alive and thriving at.

Someone argued today that Pat’s comment wasn’t race-based but religion-based. Yet, he specifically spoke about how they sold their souls to the devil to free themselves from the French, as they were chattel slaves. Race was the bottom line in that scenario. And if someone was going to sell their soul to the devil, that would certainly be a great time to do it, particularly since that entity was the opposite of the god the French, the ones who enslaved them, believed in and/or served. That’s solid logic.

Anyway, I am thinking of the legacies we leave behind and remembering that Martin Luther King Jr and Pat Robertson, in theory, served the same god. Isn’t that amazing?

That is all for today - but I am, as always, thankful for the life of MLK. Of course, there are many holidays for Black leaders that I celebrate alone, but I do love that at least one of the important figures in Black America is also “celebrated” in America.

I am off to listen to Nina’s “The King of Love is Dead” and think.