A FAMOUS ACTOR, A DEAD PRESIDENT, AN UNHERALDED ICON, TWO DISTRICT LEADERS, A NEW BOOK, TWO AUTHORS, A COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND AN ASSEMBLYMAN: ALL COMING TOGETHER FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH (FEB. 2011).
If you stick with me on this column, I am sure that long before the end, you will be both edified and entertained. Who knows, it may even help you change the way you viewed “Black History Month”.
By now, most of my regular readers know that I was born on an arrogant little island in the Caribbean Sea. Christopher Columbus accidentally stumbled upon it in 1498, when he was lost at sea (as usual) and caught-up in a brutal sea-storm while coming out of the Doldrums. He prayed to his God for deliverance, and encountered the south side of the island when he saw three rolling hills emerge from behind the dark clouds, driving wind, heavy rain, and the dense fog. He initially call the island “La Trinity”. He felt it's emergence saved him from a watery grave. Later on it was called “Trinitario” (or some variation); and after it had changed hands a few times amongst Spanish, French, Dutch, British, and maybe one other colonial master, it became known as Trinidad. In 1962 it gained independence from Britain. It is joined with its smaller sister island to the north (Tobago) to form the “Republic of Trinidad and Tobago”.
Fine; but why did I tell you all this? Well, it's because I came to the USA when I was just out of my teens; and although I studied some US History in one of the island's prestigious high schools, it was nowhere enough to fully encapsulate what was going here, mainly from say 1492 to 1973 (and even before). Back in my day, the US history taught in West Indian schools, mainly focused on the period between the Civil War and World War Two. As a history buff, I had also studied a lot of world history on my own. Of course in this department, my first love was for West Indian and Caribbean-American history (still is). At the General Certificate of Education (GCE) exams administered through Cambridge University, England, I obtained a distinction in West-Indian history, and briefly taught it (both pro-bono and professionally) before migrating.
Then I get to New York and eventually encountered “Black-History Month” (every February). We don't have this feature in our Trinidad and/or Tobago calendar. In fact, I don't think “Black-History Month” is celebrated anywhere in the West Indies, other Caribbean regions, or in Latin-America. At first I was taken aback by this. At first, it didn't fit well with me; there was something suspicious about it. Something -which I may even dare say- wrong about it. As a history-buff, I had that funny feeling that words can't really describe. I kept this to myself mostly. Sometimes, some things are better off left unsaid: this was one.
As time rolled by however, I looked forward to “Black-History Month” since I always learned new things every February: things about the USA much more so than black culture and lore. During the 12 years I worked as teacher in the New York City public-school system, February was always filled with activities heralding “black-history”. Some events I attended and/or participated in, left me somewhat disturbed because of the racial emphasis. I felt uncomfortable when many attendees were of the “rainbow” variety; but I have learned not to be controversial when US-born blacks jealously guard things they feel genuinely belong to them; especially when their perceptions are that you are challenging their authenticity and/or ingenuity. It's one of the dichotomies here: at times some blacks (and whites) act as though they want out of this inescapable melting pot called US history (and reality).
Earlier this month, while I was perusing the Huffington Post on-line news and information marvel, I came across a recent interview between veteran white-journalist Mike Wallace (“Sixty Minutes/CBS) and the black actor Morgan Freeman. Freeman is one of the few blacks who have won academy awards (Oscars) in Hollywood. And Hollywood is still one of the most racist “institutions” in America today. Freeman has been outspoken in his critique of “Black-History Month”. His position suggests that it's essentially racism being perpetuated under a semi-disguise. He finds it “ridiculous” that one month is set aside for this celebration. He has often posited that the history of blacks here, is nothing but the same overall history of the USA; and as such, he says it shouldn't be treated as something different. He abhors this “February” heralding of it, since he thinks it should be revered everyday just as other aspects of US history is. He asks; “how come there isn't a White-History month; or a Jewish-History month?”
In the second week of February 1926, a black historian, author and journalist named Carter Goodwin Woodson (1875-1950), started a “Negro History Week” program, to coincide with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and noted black scholar Frederick Douglas. Carter G. Woodson was the founder of the “Association for the Study of African American Life and History”. This son of former slaves earned a doctorate (PhD.) from Harvard University in 1912. At that point in time, he was only the second black person who had done so: Dr. W.E.B. DuBois was the first.
In the 1960s, this one week celebration was extended to one whole month (every February) by determined black nationalists. The name was also changed to “Black History Month”. Since then this celebration has grown in stature. Today it is even celebrated by many white-owned mainstream media outlets and recognized by many state and city entities all over the country. Woodson's motivation for the program he initiated, came from strong inner feelings that is was crucial for a race of people (Negro) to be aware of, and to acknowledge their contributions to human development. The profound analysis here is indisputable in contemporary academic circles; especially since the whitewashing of history done by Europeans during earlier centuries, has led to falsifications of the contributions Africans made to the development of many celebrated civilizations. It is obvious that Woodson saw the psychological impact (damage) of racism, colonialism and slavery on the lives of Negroes in the USA.
Speaking purely for myself -as an individual who didn't grow up in the USA- let me state emphatically, that black history month has been quite helpful and useful. I have gleaned so much info over the years, that I have come to accept its utility. And what makes it even more intriguing is the fact that you never know when something will emerge to further enlighten and illuminate your endeavors. The following is an example I wanted to share.
Last December I did a column advocating for a female to be the next Borough President of Brooklyn: we have never had one in the history of the city of Brooklyn. I even went as far as to suggest my support for Mrs. Lori Knipel -the Dem's District Leader of the 44th AD. This white (Jewish) lady is one who works well with people of all colors, creeds, hues, races, ethnicities, nationalities and religions. I feel strongly that's what we need in the next boro-prez: someone we can all like, respect and work with.
I went further in that column, by highlighting the contributions of a handful of females (of different races), to the overall development of New York City. One of the individuals I highlighted was Ms. Elizabeth Jennings-Graham; she did something similar to the infamous Ms. Rosa Parks of the 1900s civil-rights era. The infamous “Jennings-event” came nearly a hundred years earlier, but she was hardly ever accorded anything close to the acclaim Ms. Parks got, despite her profound contribution to civil rights struggle. Ms. Jennings (1830-1901) was a politically active and informed Negro of her era. She was employed as a teacher in New York's public school system. She also played the piano in a small Manhattan church. One Sunday morning in 1854, she was running late for church, and instead of waiting for a specific bus with a sign allowing for Negro/colored passengers, she and a female friend (another black lady named Sarah Adams) entered the first one that approached and sat down. The white-male (and Irish) driver made a big stink. He refused to let them stay on. A white-male police officer assisted in physically throwing Jennings off the public transport. She sued the city, and a year later won a tidy sum. The judge basically ruled that it was illegal to discriminate within NYC's public transportation service. This had the effect of quickly integrating public transportation system here, long before many other cities and states did. But that story doesn't end there; and I will get back to it.
Last month I was invited by Manny Burgos -the Communications Director for Assemblyman Darryl Towns- to a series of events in the 54th Assembly District, heralding Black History Month. These events were sponsored by the assembly member, his staffers, the New York Public Library, Health First, Total Transportation, and one or two entities in Brooklyn. One of the events featured a tour of the Cypress Hills Cemetery located on Jamaica Avenue, in the 54AD. Like the district itself, parts of the cemetery are located in both Brooklyn and Queens. The Interboro Parkway (now renamed “Jackie Robinson Parkway”) runs right through this cemetery that was established in 1848: when the legislature wanted to stop burials in Manhattan. Land was ceded on the Queens /Brooklyn border to build this public cemetery which has become (arguably) the most well-known in Brooklyn.
The idea for this tour evolved from a project that was undertaken by authors Alan Smith and Stephen Duer. The project culminated in a book entitled; “Images of America: Cypress Hills Cemetery”. This fascinating book detailing the history of this cemetery, is now available within the Brooklyn Public Library system. Assemblyman Darryl Towns -who played a minor role in the project- later felt that given there was so much information here, that tours should be organized and undertaken, whereby school children, teachers and other adults, would be exposed to the rich history, and to some of the individuals buried in this cemetery.
This particular tour was quite a success. There were two bus loads of students, parents and teachers; plus an entourage of media folks, community activists and district residents. The assemblyman himself and many of his staffers also came. Robert Cornegy -district leader of the 56th AD- was in attendance; as was activist Rev. Dennis Taylor. Brooklyn's Channel 12 television station covered the tour in depth.
There are many famous people (of all races) buried in Cypress Hills cemetery. I will only give you a few names here: Jackie Robinson, Mae West, James McCune Smith, Eubie Blake, Peter Luger, Benjamin Levy, Dr. Peter Ray, Arturo Schomburg, “Gentleman” Jim Corbett, and (yes) Elizabeth Jennings (remember her?). What I didn't know -and something I found out on this tour- was that the 25 year old lawyer who was utilized by Ms. Jennings, in her now infamous lawsuit against the city of New York, was to later become the 21st US president (Chester Arthur).
Republican Chester Arthur was elected vice president in 1880, when James Garfield won the presidential election. In July of 1881, Garfield faced an assassination attempt: he eventually succumbed to his wounds a few months later (September 1881). Arthur was sworn in that month and served out the rest of the term. He tried to retain the nomination of the party in 1884 but lost. What I am trying to determine right now by research, is whether or not Arthur's legal success in the Jennings lawsuit had anything to do with his mercurial rise to political success, fame and fortune.
Look, Morgan Freeman is entitled to his position-take: and that's fine. Those of us who recognize that racism still plays an insidious role in maintaining oppression, discrimination, victimization and inequality amongst genders, races, nationalities, ethnicities and religions here, will probably disagree with his view. Many of us see the need for a “black-history month” (just as say, a “woman's history month”) since we know that all things aren't equal in this country. The Hollywood-types live in their own cocoons; the rest of us live in the real world: there is a major disconnect.
Stay tuned-in folks.