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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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To:
A.wade.kach@house.state.md.us /
bob.costa@house.state.md.us
/
dan.morhaim@house.state.md.us
daniel.riley@house.state.md.us /
Donald.elliott@house.state.md.us /
eric.bromwell@house.state.md.us
heather.mizeur@house.state.md.us /
James.hubbard@house.state.md.us /
Joanne.benson@house.state.md.us
john.donoghue@house.state.md.us /
joseline.pena.melnyk@house.state.md.us /
karen.montgomery@house.state.md.us
nicholaus.kipke@house.state.md.us /
pat.mcdonough@house.state.md.us /
RICHARD_weldon@house.state.md.us
shane.pendergrass@house.state.md.u s /
Shawn.tarrant@house.state.md.us /
shirley.nathan.pulliam@house.state.md.us
sue.kullen@house.state.md.us
/
veronica.turner@house.state.md.us /
wendell.beitzel@house.state.md.us
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 |