Saturday, February 27, 2010

Taking Black History Out Of The Peanut Gallery : NPR


Taking Black History Out Of The Peanut Gallery : NPR: ...We need a better Black History Month, one that recounts the intricacies of the lives our ancestors lived, their human flaws, something that made them a little bit more — relatable. Or better yet, something that would help us believe we could aspire to their greatness. Because now, based on what I hear every February, the only way to make black history is to be completely perfect — and rather uninteresting.

It would have been nice to have a discussion in my youth about how George Washington Carver's fervent belief in God ostracized him from many in the scientific community he became a leader in.

I would have loved to learn earlier that legendary black soul singer Nina Simone wasn't just an amazing voice, but was also someone who grappled with bipolar disorder for much of her life.