Black History Month a reminder of what we never had …..

I have never been a fan of black history month I get asked to speak at some event or other I usually say no with a sense of guilt at having let the brothers and sisters down..

..it’s not something I can articulate easily because it feels like being against Christmas or not wanting to sing happy birthday at the party of an acquaintance I like but not that much.

It feels like I’m in favour of sin amongst the innocent, every year it rolls round and the events can range from speeches to, pro, statements and educational fairs. All attempting to change something that hasn’t changed since the inception of the idea of black history month, the fact that we only get a month. One month in which to say hi, hello what about us the other eleven are a desert of ignorance in which history is a preserve for those that own the means by which the narrative is told.

It’s not entirely all bad I know that for some people black history month is revelation in a conversation with one of my friends it was pointed out to to me that but for BHM educating their children to the fact that history included black people it was a first for their kids. I could only agree, although I can’t help thinking that the fact that its once a year underlines my point its something her kids forget for the other eleven months so let me tell you what I think would really stick lets have a black history. Lets dump the month it reminds me of the fact that the media, largely ignores it and everyone else does the same except for those who are committed to remembering BHM. why don’t we have black history give ourselves a chance to move the needle, give ourselves the chance to remember what we forget and others have forgotten and that history isn’t history unless we are in it black history month just reminds me of what we should have and what history should be.