WHITE HISTORY MONTH?:

WHITE HISTORY MONTH?: I think Gary Younge is really onto something in his column in this week's Nation. Writing about how February is Black History Month, he arges that there is a crucial component missing: examination of who the pepetrators of racism themselves have been. For instance, there is much discussion of Rosa Parks and what motivated her, but none of James Blake, the bus driver who told her to give up her seat. Says Younge:

So much of Black History Month takes place in the passive voice. Leaders "get assassinated," patrons "are refused" service, women "are ejected" from public transport. So the objects of racism are many but the subjects few. In removing the instigators, the historians remove the agency and, in the final reckoning, the historical responsibility.

Younge argues for a new approach to American historical education that takes equal responsibilty for the bad as well as the good. Though its a little unclear what he actually argues for as policy proposal, (does this mean elementary school curricula? A national day or remembrance and reflection?) the goal is certainly correct.

--Ben Adler