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MISSracquel
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First Thread: Black History Questions
February 1, 2007 - 02:22 PM
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HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
Hey Guys, I’m posting up these questions for black history month
Answer one or all of these questions and discuss
-Fave Black Hero/Idol-past or present
-From your personal experiences, who do you think is a model Black Role Model?
-Although racism hasn’t fully been diminished, what can we do to overcome this problem?
-As a black person, do you think that black youths face different obstacles than other races?
This post was edited on: 2007-02-01 at 02:26 PM by: missracquel
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Nickybol2323
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 1, 2007 - 04:29 PM
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I do not really have a favourite black hero/idol because I do not know much about african american history, except from the standard names like Rosa Parker, Martin Luther King, Uncle Tom, etc...
I think the senator running for presidency of the democrats is a real role model, although I forgot his name. Mobaka? Moboka? Maboka?
Racism can be overcomed by having black role models, having a cultural exchange and emphasizing black history.
I am not a black person, so I cannot speak from this experience.
missracquel wrote:
HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
Hey Guys, I’m posting up these questions for black history month
Answer one or all of these questions and discuss
-Fave Black Hero/Idol-past or present
-From your personal experiences, who do you think is a model Black Role Model?
-Although racism hasn’t fully been diminished, what can we do to overcome this problem?
-As a black person, do you think that black youths face different obstacles than other races?
This post was edited on: 2007-02-01 at 02:26 PM by: missracquel
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Butters
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 1, 2007 - 05:15 PM
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- I think when you talk about Black role models, the first people that come to mind are Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, W.E.B DuBois, Langston Hughes, Alice Walker, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente (really the list is too long to really even crack the surface here)
- I think that any person that contributes to society in a postive way could be considered a role model.
- I think that an understanding that we are the same, no matter our race, is a start. I think that the best way to break down racism is for people to make an effort to know someone of another racial background.
- I am not African American, so I can't answer that question. I do think, however, that there is still considerable racial bias, so I assmue that they do.
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Anu maheshwari
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 2, 2007 - 11:35 AM
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missracquel wrote:
HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
Hey Guys, I’m posting up these questions for black history month
Answer one or all of these questions and discuss
-Fave Black Hero/Idol-past or present
-From your personal experiences, who do you think is a model Black Role Model?
-Although racism hasn’t fully been diminished, what can we do to overcome this problem?
-As a black person, do you think that black youths face different obstacles than other races?
This post was edited on: 2007-02-01 at 02:26 PM by: missracquel
I don't believe in the concept of having a role 'model' as all role models ultimately fall into stereotypes ...something they themselves might have tried to break away from...
this kind of model minority cult sometimes also creates certain token representatives of an entire community leading to further stereotyping and marginalisation. It reminds me of Toni Morrison's quote ;
American means white, and Africanist people struggle to make the term applicable to themselves with ethnicity and hyphen after hyphen after hyphen.
Racism is a disease. And prevention is always better than cure!
The only to way to prevent this disease from spreading and surviving in our times is by increasing our level of awareness and instilling deep respect for other people's culture and origins.
But of course there is no single cure for such problems...each case has to be contextualised and looked at from a different angle. ....
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Anu maheshwari
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 2, 2007 - 11:39 AM
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nickybol wrote:
I think the senator running for presidency of the democrats is a real role model, although I forgot his name. Mobaka? Moboka? Maboka?
Its Senator Barack Hussein Obama
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Butters
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 4, 2007 - 09:13 AM
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anuriandima84 wrote
I don't believe in the concept of having a role 'model' as all role models ultimately fall into stereotypes ...something they themselves might have tried to break away from...
this kind of model minority cult sometimes also creates certain token representatives of an entire community leading to further stereotyping and marginalisation.
I disagree that the world doesn't need role models. Role models are important whether you are talking about a religious role model, your parents or a neighbor. They provide people with inspiration. Although they are not perfect in every way, they start movements to a better world (Martin Luther King), provide inspiration to artists (W.E.B Dubois, Alice Walker, BB King) and show extreme human compassion and sacrifice by those who could have turned their back on dire situations (Roberto Clemente). These individuals and their accomplishments are far from "marginal."
These individuals are only stereotyped if the individual doing the stereotyping is biased in the first place. I am a white male and I see these individuals mentioned (along with several others that are not) as role models for everyone. Not because they are black, but because their accomplishments are of such great significance.
Although I think that it seems silly to have a "Black History Month" because these achevments should be celebrated year-round, not just during February, it is probably necessary due to the fact that these accomplishments years ago would not have been recognized and may have been actively forgotten.
This post was edited on: 2007-02-04 at 09:17 AM by: Butters
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Anu maheshwari
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 6, 2007 - 01:23 PM
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Butters wrote
I disagree that the world doesn't need role models. Role models are important whether you are talking about a religious role model, your parents or a neighbor. They provide people with inspiration. Although they are not perfect in every way, they start movements to a better world (Martin Luther King), provide inspiration to artists (W.E.B Dubois, Alice Walker, BB King) and show extreme human compassion and sacrifice by those who could have turned their back on dire situations (Roberto Clemente). These individuals and their accomplishments are far from "marginal."
These individuals are only stereotyped if the individual doing the stereotyping is biased in the first place. I am a white male and I see these individuals mentioned (along with several others that are not) as role models for everyone. Not because they are black, but because their accomplishments are of such great significance.
Although I think that it seems silly to have a "Black History Month" because these achevments should be celebrated year-round, not just during February, it is probably necessary due to the fact that these accomplishments years ago would not have been recognized and may have been actively forgotten.
This post was edited on: 2007-02-04 at 09:17 AM by: Butters
Speaking within the context , I do believe that Role models were often made into token representatives of their own 'distinct' community, class etc
For example , the writings related to black history and art were inadvertently viewed as, an 'influence' on the mainstream literature, something 'alien'.
Writers, artisans, musicians ...many struggled to express this feeling of alienation by reacting against it, through their chosen mode of expression. These reactions often came out strongly emphasising a pride in retrograde concept "one's own distinct" culture..........remember Fanon's On National Culture
Writers like Toni Morrison refused to become the token representatives of their 'community' and insisted on preserving the plurality of experience within the black community and otherwise.
Times are changing ...there is more awareness now and less prejudice( hopefully).
Though i agree with you that role models do inspire others ...i never deny that....
but I also wanted to add that there is another angle to every positive thing.
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Butters
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 7, 2007 - 07:11 PM
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Although I think very highly of Toni Morrision, I don't think that she is someone that looks to break the stereotyping of the African American. She herself helped feed African American stereotyping when she called Bill Clinton "The first Black President;" refering to President Clinton as someone who epitomizes "blackness." That he grew up in a "single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald's-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas."
Associating all of those qualities to being black does not help eliminate the steretyping of African Americans. Although some African Americans live a life similar to what Ms. Morrison described, certainly you would have to agree that is not how all African Americans live, nor are those living conditions exclusive to African Americans.
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Cecilia Mueni Sila
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 8, 2007 - 06:30 AM
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Why should we celebrate a black history month? I believe by having such celebrations we bring discrimination to ourselves. We label ourselves as blacks and therefore expect a certain kind of treatment. Maybe I do not know the impact of racism . I however think people exaggerate much about their identity. I once met a bunch of Black Americans who had come to visit Kenya and their talk was about how good it was to be ‘home’. For me that sounded ridiculous. They are American! We are all global citizens so why don’t we just celebrate a history month?
Do I have any black role models? Yes. My mum.
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Butters
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 8, 2007 - 12:49 PM
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n7micks wrote:
Why should we celebrate a black history month? I believe by having such celebrations we bring discrimination to ourselves. We label ourselves as blacks and therefore expect a certain kind of treatment. Maybe I do not know the impact of racism . I however think people exaggerate much about their identity. I once met a bunch of Black Americans who had come to visit Kenya and their talk was about how good it was to be ‘home’. For me that sounded ridiculous. They are American! We are all global citizens so why don’t we just celebrate a history month?
Do I have any black role models? Yes. My mum.
I think that "Black History Month" is a product that grew out of racism. Only 30-40 years ago, accomplishments made by African Americans were not recognized, actively forgotten or stolen by others. I think we are past much of that, at least in the US, and it probably isn't as necessary anymore. I would also say that most African Americans recognize themselves as Americans. I don't belive that what you experienced is the norm. I would say, however, that I am of German ancestry and do feel some of the same feelings when I visit Germany (although I didn't grow up there). The one very unique aspect of the US, which may not be as prominent in most other countries, is that almost all of us (other than the Native Americans) are from somewhere else than here.
This post was edited on: 2007-02-08 at 12:52 PM by: Butters
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MISSracquel
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 8, 2007 - 06:57 PM
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I once met a bunch of Black Americans who had come to visit Kenya and their talk was about how good it was to be ‘home’. For me that sounded ridiculous. They are American
---------
we all should know that we all orginated from Africa, and your the first African I hear say that.
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Felisha
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 18, 2007 - 09:55 PM
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-I would Say My African American Idol/Hero would have to be Rosa Parks,Malcom X, and Tupac Shakur
-Ummm, im not sure about that one....
-Teach the little ones different from what most were taught when they were young, teach them that skin color doesnt matter.Show them that all people are the same regardless of thier race.
-Im not african American, but i think each race faces different obstacles that tend to make life a little harder...
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manosijm
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 20, 2007 - 03:48 PM
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Try having a White History Month and wait for the flak. It won't be long.
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MISSracquel
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 20, 2007 - 04:50 PM
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manosijm wrote:
Try having a White History Month and wait for the flak. It won't be long.
ha, indeed.
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Anu maheshwari
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Re: First Thread: Black History Questions
February 20, 2007 - 11:35 PM
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manosijm wrote:
Try having a White History Month and wait for the flak. It won't be long.
Just a thought ...
One of the reasons why there is a celebration of Black history month is precisely to point out that the history that was taught in the schools before and even now to some extent didnt represent them.
As Chinua Achebe had said ( a proverb in Ibo culture)
"Until Lions have their own historians tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter"
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