Black History Month - what's it all about?
Greenland
English - February 05, 2020 13:05 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MB - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingPlaces & Travel Society & Culture Government america american culture american politics australia australian society democrat diana elliott donald betts donald trump health care Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Each February marks Black History Month in the US. Other countries, including Canada, the Netherlands and Ireland now also observe it. In essence, the month is about celebrating and recognising the contributions of African Americans throughout history. In schools and other learning institutions, students participate in a range of essay and oration competitions, put on plays and otherwise take part in activities designed to illuminate the advances made in society due to the contribution of black Americans.
Some dissenters (including high profile people such as Morgan Freeman) argue that why should black history be confined to a month? They contend that black history is American history. A full transcript of the episode is available (check the 'transcript' link).
Although we don't officially observe Black History Month in Australia, Mark gives us some great ideas for how we can all learn more about African American history and culture, and why it's so important that we do.
About our guest, Mark McCormick
Mark McCormick is executive director of the Kansas African American Museum in Wichita and a New York Times best-selling author with 20 years of journalism experience as a reporter, editor and columnist. He serves as a trustee on the William Allen White Foundation at KU School of Journalism and has been a professional in residence at the University of Oklahoma.
In 2015, he co-wrote African Americans of Wichita with Arcadia publishing. In 2017, Mark published Some Were Paupers, Some Were Kings: Dispatches from Kansas.
In April 2018, Mark joined the ACLU of Kansas as the Director of Strategic Communications. Previously, he served as the Executive Director of the Kansas African American Museum in Wichita, Kansas.
He is the proud recipient of over 20 industry and community awards, including three gold medals from the Kansas City Press Club.
Links to resources talked about in this episode (good to start with these if you want to bone up on your African American history):
The 1619 Project by The New York Times Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W Loewen Dissent in Witchita by Dr Gretchen Eick Autobiography of Malcolm XThe African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality by Cheikh Anta Diop, Mercer Cook Parting the Waters: Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement 1954-63 by Taylor Branch The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks (good family read) A Hungry Heart (a Memoir) by Gordon Parks A Choice of Weapons by Gordon Parks