Can a history teacher just vent a little bit...?

Our schools help create this idea of, "other" and "less than."

We use separate months to point out those who are "different" or "other" by highlighting that history in that month.... but we don't incorporate those voices consistently year round in our history lessons.  There is a month for Women, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, Blacks etc....but by having these months, aren't we implying that this history is separate?

Don't get me wrong...this message is not explicit nor purposeful (sometimes).  It's implied, and I believe  a "soft," yet detrimental aspect of institutional racism.  Most educators are NOT out right saying, "let's learn about a separate history."  I know in schools, these implicit messages (especially when I was going up) made me feel like I got a month to feel special and learn about "my history," but that was it.  There was a play or short program where they selected the one Black boy or girl to be Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks.  We all wore Kente cloth sashes and sang, "We Shall Overcome."  I remember always feeling awkward watching my white classmates sing it...or not sing it...

It seems like history of peoples who were colonized, murdered, marginalized, oppressed etc. because of race, religion, and most of the time both DO NOT get incorporated into "mainstream" American History because of the real horror of that history.  It's getting better, but not where it should be...

We teach about the strength of the 13 Colonies and how they fought off their English oppressors but then ignore the evil and inhumane treatment of women, men who didn't own land and especially Blacks and other non-whites (I really hate that I used non-whites, but this blog is getting way to long), but we then celebrate our forefathers and the Declaration of Independence...wait, who's "daddy" and who's independence?!!!!  I know they aren't talking about MINE!!

...it's like we make that history separate so we don't quite make the incredibly horrific connection of HATE that link our lives together.

How can we pick and choose what to be proud of and what to "hide?"  How can we ignore the voices of those that built this country, died for this country, and were (are) enslaved in/for this country? 

My history is American History.  I think there is nothing wrong with highlighting oppressed groups during a specific month too - but make sure American History includes all voices not just the "easiest" voice to teach...the one provided in the text book  and do it all year round people!

Educators, facilitate the learning of a history with the many voices and perspectives that are all undeniably connected. Help young people see the historical legacies of our history no matter how terrible.

Helping young people (especially those marginalized) understand their truth, breaks chains and frees us from the burdens of their race.  When we learn that our destiny CAN be created by us, the expectations of being "other" or "less than," begin to disappear and we can see our innate greatness.