I’m looking at my calendar and, as normal, it’s pretty full. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and all the festivities, events and activities which accompany these special days have come and gone. Here we are in February, 2013 already. Of course, the obvious special day in February sticks out like a sore thumb —Valentine’s Day. I am very ‘special day’ driven. I must confess, I love the holidays (some more than others) and all that they bring. I love celebrating. As I look at this month of February, yes I think of Valentine’s Day and I did look forward to celebrating it. But most of all, I look forward to celebrating and honoring the rich culture of Black Americans, for February is Black History Month.
Negro History Week was started in 1926 by the diligent historian and educator, Dr. Carter G. Woodson. In 1976, Negro History Week became what we now know as Black History Month. Woodson, a son of former slaves, knew how important it was and saw the tremendous need for preserving the legacy of men and women of the Black culture no one knew of, who produced so many tremendous and substantial contributions which benefited our country and the world at large for decades and decades to come. Woodson chose the month of February in honor of the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln, who was born Feb. 12 and who issued the Emancipation Proclamation, bringing liberty to slaves in America, and Fredrick Douglass, one of America’s notable abolitionists, an educator, orator and author who was born on Valentine’s Day.
Black Americans have made contributions of monumental proportions to our world in every area of life. One area that stands out to me is inventions. Some of the inventions we still enjoy today, made by these little-known inventors, include the mail box, traffic light, gas mask, golf tees, the telegraph, typewriter, ironing board, lawn sprinkler, the toilet and the list goes on and on and on.
The Black community in Alaska’s capital city, Juneau, is small, but we are indeed here, alive and well! We take pride each year in bringing our community a taste of who we are. We understand and do not take for granted that we are here today because of the tremendous sacrifices of those who came before us. We believe in keeping their legacies alive, striving every day to live out our lives with pride and dignity and passing the baton to those who are right behind us.
Some of us stay connected through the Black Awareness Association, an organization founded by a group of Black men and women here in Juneau in the mid-90s who felt the need to stay in touch with each other in a place so far away from home and to keep our community aware of the many contributions of our culture.
So here we are again, ready to celebrate, and we are excited to do so. We invite you to celebrate with us this month by finding a Black history fact that you may not already know about and sharing it with someone. We will all be richer because of it.
There are a couple of events happening in Juneau honoring Black History Month. Rev. Bobby Lewis and pianist Eustace Johnson have returned to Juneau, by popular demand, to conduct another exhilarating and uplifting Gospel Music Workshop Feb. 18-23, culminating with two sold-out concerts on Sunday Feb 24. If you missed it last year, you may still get a second chance to hear this incredible choir, which consists of locals who just love to sing.
Another way of celebrating with us is by joining us on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Tlingit & Haida Community Center on Hospital Drive for an evening of mouthwatering, authentic, traditional Soul Food. The menu includes BBQ ribs, fried catfish, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, black eyed peas, greens and cornbread, sweet potatoes, peach cobbler and sweet potato pie. Doesn’t that sound awesome? The proceeds from this annual fundraiser go toward scholarships for graduating high school students who desire to pursue higher education and also to help in our efforts of bringing our community these and other similar cultural events. During this event, we will be honoring the legacy of Rosa Parks, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday this month.
Tickets for both events are on sale on line at www.jahc.org or at Hearthside Books. The Black Awareness Association can be reached at juneaubaa@gmail.com or 957-0630. Happy Black History Month!
• Sherry Patterson is a 27-year resident of Juneau, the Black Awareness Association President, a local vocalist, Big Brothers/ Big Sisters volunteer, and attends Breakthrough Church and is a supervisor for the CBJ Dept. of Finance.
Comments (18)
Add commentAre you in or are you out?
No offense, but it strikes me that the black community needs to decide whether it is part of the nation or whether it is a separate group. As the saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it, too. If you want to fully participate in the American dream, come along. If you want to wallow in self-pity, then do so at your own peril.
I hope that the "Black history month", "Black Awareness Project", "NAACP", and "historically black colleges" go the way of the KKK and disappear from our lives. Time to become AMERICANS and stop labeling yourselves.
Are you in or are you out?
Ill Logical
"Logical", what do you mean by "the black community"? Everyone who is black? Part black? Do you really think anyone with African ancestry living in the U.S. doesn't think of themselves as American?
And what do you mean by "the American dream"? Do you think the American dream is for everyone to think, act, dress, eat, listen to music, dance, etc. like everyone else? I'm Irish American. I like potatoes. I celebrate St. Patrick's day. I have even researched my family, and famous Irish Americans. Does that mean I'm not part of your "American dream"? I grew up in a neighborhood in which about half the residents were black. If it weren't for Black History month, many of them would have had little if any knowledge of brilliant, courageous and strong Black Americans. Black History month provided them with knowledge they would not have received from most school "history" books.
I for one don't want some weird America where everyone celebrates the exact same things and acts the same. "Logical", your post is sad.
Ill Logical
"Logical", what do you mean by "the black community"? Everyone who is black? Part black? Do you really think anyone with African ancestry living in the U.S. doesn't think of themselves as American?
And what do you mean by "the American dream"? Do you think the American dream is for everyone to think, act, dress, eat, listen to music, dance, etc. like everyone else? I'm Irish American. I like potatoes. I celebrate St. Patrick's day. I have even researched my family, and famous Irish Americans. Does that mean I'm not part of your "American dream"? I grew up in a neighborhood in which about half the residents were black. If it weren't for Black History month, many of them would have had little if any knowledge of brilliant, courageous and strong Black Americans. Black History month provided them with knowledge they would not have received from most school "history" books.
I for one don't want some weird America where everyone celebrates the exact same things and acts the same. "Logical", your post is sad.
Bigots ! Why do we not have
Bigots !
Why do we not have a " Gay, one legged Hispanic month" ?
I'm all for Black History
I'm all for Black History Month. I think it's a great idea. However, in Juneau we need to expand on the concept. Juneau's population is only 0.8% African American. However, it is 11.4% Native American. With that in mind, I think we should also have a Native American History Month. Furthermore, Juneau has always had a large Filipino community. That is grounds to have a Filipino History Month.
I have many more thoughts on this issue, but at the moment I'm a little pressed for time. I hope folks out there in Cyberland will have a great day.
Lupus, you missed my point
I'm not pigeon-holing anyone into any sub-group. My point was that many blacks see themselves as black first, and to a lesser degree they see themselves as a part of American society at large. Specifically, my point is that if you want to fully participate in a larger group, you have to engage with that group and not hold yourself separate from it. It seems to me that there are far more black-oriented institutions that perpetuate the separation than there are white racists holding black folks back.
Contrary to your diatribe, I don't want the nation to be made up of people who look like me, eat like me, and celebrate things that I do. Diversity is a good thing, but we need to see ourselves as part of a larger group before we divide ourselves into subsets according to race, gender, etc... Otherwise, we will simply devolve back into a series of tribes.
Logical
"I'm not pigeon-holing anyone into any sub-group. My point was that many WHITES see themselves as WHITE first, and to a lesser degree they see themselves as a part of American society at large."
Well, if you want me to share
Well, if you want me to share a black history fact I didn't know about then I have to mention Anthony Johnson. He was the first slaveholder in Virgnia. He was a black man.
He managed to convince a court that another black man, John Casor, should be his servant for life, and thereby changed the system from indentured servitude to outright slavery. Prior to this court decision people served out their indenture and then were free to do as they pleased.
Indenture is of interest to me, as my wife's european grandfather financed his voyage to the US in this way. This was in the year 1920.
Question
"The proceeds from this annual fundraiser go toward scholarships for graduating high school students who desire to pursue higher education and also to help in our efforts of bringing our community these and other similar cultural events."
So, can my "White" child apply for this scholarship? Doesn't say anything about ethnicity.
I lower my IQ by reading these comments
not much more to say than the subject line
Except for lupus, I have to agree, seadog
and "lowly", your "point" has very little significance, beyond a very lame attempt to blame slavery on blacks. It doesn't hold water.
In 1619, a year earlier than Anthony Johnson was released from indentured servitude, Virginia's first slave-ship arrived, carrying 20 slaves---Sure, they were called indentured servants as well, but the point was quickly made: Tony just wanted to call a spade a spade. So what? Was American slavery the fault of one black man? Ha! Some of the earliest colonists of North America were probably abandoned black slaves of the Spanish.
Sure, blame slavery on the blacks. Blame rape on the women, poverty on the poor, environmental pollution on the greenies---Whatever suits your fancy. It's a free country, and I guess that means we can make it up as we go along: That's kind of what the internet is all about!
Still have a legitimate question
I don't know why I got thumbs down when I'm trying to find scholarship info. There is none to be found. Thank you for any information such as a website for the scholarship app
@LibHater
That's what I thought!
wow
just wow