Black History

Dear fellow white people:

It is that time of year again when Black people gained visibility through the outdated and tired diversity month initiatives.  As a result, slews of well-meaning white people will trot out historical facts and Black accomplishments.  Well-meaning white people will circulate “woke” hashtags and smile that they too know the names of more obscure Black people.

PLEASE STOP

Representation does not equal equity, a pithy fact or cute meme does not erase white supremacy.  Think!  In a society that is rooted with spectacular capitalist systems, the celebration of Black “History” tends to be harmful, superficial and attention-seeking.  White people see themselves as allies, promoting Blacks in low stakes arenas like social media or through appropriation of Black culture.  Thus, white people are satisfied with themselves for not being racists yet the relegation of Black history and culture to the shortest month of the year is, in fact, racist.

Everyone should celebrate Black history amazing and at all times, not once a year (maybe twice if you like the pacifist version of MLK).  These practices are particularly egregious in academia, which the notion of diversity months has really taken off over the years.  The lack of substantive Black history in US education is ridiculous and racist.  Everyone should be working on learning more about the US’s racist foundations and thinking of ways to end white supremacy daily, not a few times a year.

Many white people see the appropriation of Black culture (this applies to Native Americans and other groups) as a celebration and a sign of acceptance.  They wrap themselves in Kente cloth expecting love and rewards for their bravery of celebrating Black culture.  Of course, the US House speaker and others in 2020 missed a big point when they kneeled over the violence and death Black people experience because they are Black in “solidarity”.  First, Kente cloth is Ghanian; it is not a US phenomenon.  Second, wearing a BLM pin or other symbols of white wokeness does nothing to solve systemic racism and white supremacy.  Third, culture is not really something to be shared.

White people think they have full rights and access to everyone else’s cultural history, and demand it should be shared and used by white people.  This idea is colonial shite supremacy incarnate.  Cultures are not things to be shared and used by the out-group.  Cultures are societies that have shared histories and locations and have developed practices to keep their society together.  Culture is what societies enact to preserve their stability and longevity.  If you are not part of a culture, you do not get to use someone else’s culture for your own vanity or monetary gain.