# Black History Month is DISCRIMINATORY and RACIST!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 14, 2001, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-history-month-is-discriminatory-and-racist/54443 "2001-02-14T09:41:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2001, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-history-month-is-discriminatory-and-racist/54443/61 "2001-02-17T06:13:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*02-14-2001 07:18 AM **in the 4th response to _this_ very thread** > > > [@](#): > > > > First of all, “we” don’t have to have Black History Month. It’s just a proclamation–it doesn’t require you to do anything, there isn’t any compulsory participation, there isn’t even a day off associated with it. > > ::: snip::: > > By the way, National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. Native American Heritage Month is recognized in November. May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. And National Women’s History Month is held in March. > > \*\* Nowhere in that post does it say anything about any of those days being officially designated by the government. That is why I asked that particular question. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2001, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-history-month-is-discriminatory-and-racist/54443/62 "2001-02-17T06:21:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Collounsbury \* > **As to Blacknight’s disingenuous reply: it seems to me that Tom quite clearly indicates that his questions were addressed in this very fucking thread, which they were.** Yes, that was the obvious meaning of his statements. Could you please point out to me where my questions were addressed earlier in the thread? > [@](#): > > **Somehow Blacknight fails to understand this, leading us to the conclusion he did not read very well.** I understood that he meant the response was in this thread. Indeed, he said “… nearly all these points have already been addressed in this very thread.” I merely asked him where, because, even after rereading the thread, I could not find where they had been addressed. > [@](#): > > \*\*I find it hard to believe anyone’s High School history class somehow did not recognize “white americans” contributions given our national history. > \*\* I find it hard to believe that you have any idea whatsoever what was taught in my high school history class. ---
**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2001, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-history-month-is-discriminatory-and-racist/54443/63 "2001-02-18T04:37:15Z")
For **BlackKnight** : A proclamation _implies_ that that there was an official designation. See below. > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > 02-14-2001 07:18 AM in the 4th response to this very thread > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > First of all, “we” don’t have to have Black History Month. It’s just a _ **proclamation** _–it doesn’t require you to do anything, there isn’t any compulsory participation, there isn’t even a day off associated with it. > > > ::: snip::: > > > By the way, National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. Native American Heritage Month is recognized in November. May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. And National Women’s History Month is held in March. > > Nowhere in that post does it say anything about any of those days being officially designated by the government. > > That is why I asked that particular question. The [dictionary](http://www.m-w.com) > [@](#): > > Main Entry: proc·la·ma·tion > Pronunciation: "prä-kl&-'mA-sh&n > Function: noun > Etymology: Middle English proclamacion, from Middle French proclamation, from Latin proclamation-, proclamatio, from proclamare > Date: 14th century > 1 : the action of proclaiming : the state of being proclaimed > **2 : something proclaimed; specifically : an official formal public announcement** ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2001, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-history-month-is-discriminatory-and-racist/54443/64 "2001-02-18T07:07:26Z")
I didn’t know if it was simply some group or organization that had “proclaimed”, or if it was the government that had done the proclaiming. (Either one is allowable by the definitions provided.) That’s why I asked the question. ---
**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2001, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-history-month-is-discriminatory-and-racist/54443/65 "2001-02-18T08:26:59Z")
Well, I do not think that the NAACP has enough of a sway issue a public proclamation in the vein of a month of examining and studing of a culture. And no one would give a damn if McDonalds proclaimed June National Hamburger Month. In fact, it wasn’t until last December, that I learned that there was an _Italian History Month_ (in October)! And that went though Congress and etc. like every other proclamation month! It took quit e a while for Black History month to catch on. There wasn’t even a Black History _Month_, until '76. It started as just a week in 1916, and I’m sure that there wasn’t a mention of happy Negro History Week on the radio or in many schools for a looong time afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2001, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-history-month-is-discriminatory-and-racist/54443/66 "2001-02-18T08:30:16Z")
Excuse me, Negro History week didn’t appear until 19 **26** , not '16. I have the fact sheet on Carter Woodson right here, and I proofed it even. It must mean it’s past my bedtime. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-history-month-is-discriminatory-and-racist/54443.md?page=3)