Letters in Support of Black History Months

Rudy,

I received a message from the MD bill's sponsor saying the the assembly failed to take it up this session. --Floyd (12 April 2007)

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March 15, 2007

Delegate Wendell R. Beitzel / Delegate Joanne C. Benson / Delegate Eric M. Bromwell / Delegate Robert A. Costa / Delegate John P. Donoghue / Delegate Donald B. Elliott / Delegate James W. Hubbard / Delegate A. Wade Kach / Delegate Nicholaus R. Kipke
Delegate Sue Kullen / Delegate Patrick L. McDonough / Delegate Heather R. Mizeur / Delegate Karen S. Montgomery
Delegate Dan K. Morhaim / Delegate Shirley Nathan-Pulliam / Delegate Nathaniel T. Oaks / Delegate Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk
Delegate Shane E. Pendergrass / Delegate B. Daniel Riley / Delegate Shawn Z. Tarrant / Delegate Veronica L. Turner / Delegate Richard B. Weldon, Jr.

Health and Government Operations Committee
General Assembly
Maryland State Government
Annapolis, MD 21401-1912

RE: House Bill 101

Dear Honorable Delegates:

I am writing in support of House Bill 101, which proclaims the months of January and February to be “Black History Months.”

More than two hundred years before Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915, and Negro History Week in 1926, captured African slaves and their American descendants were making American history in the midst of despair. The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade violently dislocated Africans from their homelands, relocated them in America’s agrarian lands, and isolated them on dehumanizing plantations. Yet, we survived the Holocaust of Enslavement, even as its legacy continues into the present. And we continue to make American history.

As this history changed and expanded, the meaning and value of Black American history also increased. The 1960s witnessed the expansion of Negro History Week to Black History Month. Indeed, this decade gave rise to the Black Studies Movement in colleges and universities across America; it also set in motion the serious examination of the Black American experience in many European universities. The evidence is unchallengeable that the historical experience of African-descended Americans is of world-wide significance. Forged in the cauldron of anti-slavery and anti-racist struggles, Black American history is the living narrative that all Americans need to embrace.

We have an obligation to remember the past if, for no other reason that we live in the presence of the past. Hence, the ethics of memory calls on us to remember the past and learn its important lessons. This is a major flaw in the American personality, for the drive to focus on the future often has prevented this nation from paying attention to its
past. The proposed House Bill can encourage Americans, especially Maryland citizens, to overcome this limitation. All Americans need to study the meaning of Black American history—to take seriously the transformative power of the past and its impact on this nation’s present and future.

By proclaiming January and February as “Black History Months,” the Maryland General Assembly recognizes the continuing growth and significance of a people’s historical experiences, which are central to meaning of American history. Therefore, I support House Bill 101 most enthusiastically.

Sincerely yours,

Floyd W. Hayes, III, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer
Department of Political Science

Coordinator of Programs and Undergraduate Studies
Center for Africana Studies
The Johns Hopkins University
Greenhouse 107
3400 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
Phone: 410-516-7659
FAX: 410-516-7312
E-Mail: fwhayes3@jhu.edu
http://web.jhu.edu/africana/index.html

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Dear state legislators:

I support HB 101, which proposes to extend Black History Month. an outgrowth of Negro History Week, conceived by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926 to combat racism and racial insensitivity. In addition, this Black History month helps to focus on the wide array of African American accomplishments in the arts, sciences, and many disciplines.

It is important to have more than a month for this celebration so that all Americans, not just those of African descent, can honor and learn about the often overlooked achievements, experiences, and events that are part of the history of a group of American citizens. We hardly have enough time to study the richness of the legacy of Black Marylanders within the month of February, so an additional month would be welcomed. By honoring black history in our state, we move towards equality in our classrooms and curricula by increasing our understanding and experiences of this group of Americans. I recently learned that the Parliament of Canada officially recognized Black History month in Canada, so it is gaining global acceptance.

Some think that by setting aside a month or two to honor the contributions of African Americans trivializes it. However, this commemoration does not trivialize it, though sometimes the way it is implemented in a school curriculum, for example, does trivialize it. It’s what James Banks, a prominent educator, calls the “Contributions Approach” to integration of diverse content into one’s curriculum. Its emphasis is on merely inserting the heroes and events and other cultural components into the curriculum without studying them in their historical context. This type of addition usually results in a superficial understanding of this racial group and serves to reinforce stereotypes and misconceptions. One example of an African American personality who has been trivialized is Martin Luther King, who has been reduced to that of a dreamer. Most young people, if they know anything at all about King, have heard of his “I Have a Dream” speech. However, King was a remarkable scholar who has produced volumes of books and speeches.

Again, I applaud the legislator who proposed the extension of the celebration of Black History in Maryland so that we have more time to study the spectrum of Black accomplishments, not only in Maryland, but those from Africa and the Diaspora.

HB 101 is a terrific idea, which I wholeheartedly support.

Sincerely,

Lena Ampadu

Associate Professor of English

Director, African and African American Studies Program

Towson University—

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To All,

I support the passing of HB 101. Please consider my vote as an approval request of this bill.

Salahudin Majeed
IT (Analyst)
Social Security Administration

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posted 16 March 2007 / updated 6 November 2007 / updated 20 February 2008