Earlier in the semester, my Post-Colonial African History professor asked students to raise their hands if this was the first class they had taken on black history. There was a sea of multicolored hands in the air.
Later, when I tried to search for the course’s books at the bookstore, I found none. Before this, it had never occurred to me how little black history was considered or how few traces of it could be found on campus.
Black History Month fails to recognize the brilliance of black people. It was purposefully placed in the shortest month, hardly acknowledges underrepresented black pioneers and rarely provides adequate education on black history.
Black history and culture are ingrained into the moral and immoral fibers of this country. A month could not possibly reconcile the years of neglect black history has faced. To fully represent blackness for the sake of a broadened view of American history, the University and all educational institutions should implement more black history in American history courses.
In Louisiana, it is standard to learn American history in seventh and 11th grades. Much of the high school American history course is an enhanced analysis of 7th grade material, going through the long history of America from its days as a British colony up to Operation Desert Storm.
Black history is accounted for in secondary education courses. The problem is that the lives of slaves are highlighted as black history. Slavery was an irreparable abomination bestowed upon Africans. This shouldn’t be ignored, but black people are much more than this.
Much of popular American culture owes its identity to black people. Elvis Presley became famous by appropriating a song from a black woman. Bo Derek’s famous braided hairdo originated in Africa. Country, rock, blues, hip hop and jazz were all created by or heavily influenced by black people. Kylie Jenner. Post Malone. Ariana Grande. Need I say more about black influence?
Many people are unaware of the prominent impact black people have had on society because it isn’t taught. The lives of black people are confined to the period in which they were slaves and sharecroppers. A meager 28 days is supposed to be a comprehensive recollection of black history. That’s impossible.
At 19, I am just now learning about influential black artists, leaders and cultural figures. The information taught in honors courses about black livelihood is a privilege to learn, but black history shouldn’t be an exception. It is as relevant as Christopher Columbus’ voyage.
The University is in a hotbed of black history. South Baton Rouge was the setting for a successful bus boycott in 1953. The first school for black students in Baton Rouge is hardly a mile away. The University did not become fully integrated until 1964, 10 years after admitting its first black student, A.P. Tureaud.
Most people have never even heard of this local history, let alone a scholarly scope of black American history. It is nice that the University named a building after Tureaud and continues to admit more black students, but one of the best ways to increase diversity is to incorporate more black history in all American history classes.
Black history should not have to be a subset of history classes. Some black history classes may only have time to cover rudimentary information that could’ve and should’ve been taught in general history courses, while European history classes generally teach obscure texts far beyond 2000-level history classes. Black history classes don’t have that luxury.
When I think of all the students who are just now delving into black history in college and who will still be deprived of the full story of America, it reminds me of the disservice done on the part of the American education system. American history is not American without the dynamic and impactful stories of black people. This is an essential sect of history.
Erin Stephens is a 19-year-old journalism sophomore from Brusly, Louisiana.