Black Lives Matter- research and awareness

Lack of Education- The Statistics

12 states out of 50 in the United States recognize the importance of Black history.

    12.

    7 states don't clearly mention slavery in their standards.
    8 don't mention the civil rights movement in their standards.

    What does teaching Black history look like in America? Well, it looks like I got pretty lucky. I learned of something beyond the civil rights movement and slavery this year. I learned about the Harlem Renaissance (a local Black theater troop came, my history teacher actually took the time to show us some clips of the performers mentioned in her preview slideshow that was given which I appreciate) and that's when I saw the school system finally touch on the importance of Black influence on society. Finally.

    However, that wasn't even the county. That was my school who arranged that, I believe. The threats troop could've gone to another school, but I don't know for sure. We also never talked about Black history again.

    What I'm saying is, the regulations on the teaching Black history aren't strict. Teachers can get away with white washing history. It happens all the time. Most of the time, if you really think about it. Name one textbook that treats Black history as American history. Just one.
   
    My guess is that you can't even come up with one.

    Most states received Ds and Fs for the way they taught Black history. Five states don't even touch on it.

    Just as I suspected, Black history is severely neglected in education. Not to mention how glorified slave owners are.

    Listen, I get they signed the Declaration of Independence. Can you at least mention that they owned slaves? We're not asking you to rewrite history, just don't glorify it. We're not asking for you to erase history, for we know that does no good. We're asking that you don't shy away from the bad aspects of the people we learn about. Can you at least take the time to say that these people owned slaves. And don't just dismiss it as "appropriate in that time" because slavery has never in history been "appropriate." Just like people being sexist and homophobic at the time is not "appropriate." Talk about it. The founders of the United States were racist slave owners. It's important that we recognize it.

    I mean, we learn about all these so called "heroes" when really they were upholding systematic racism. Say it as it is. The people that textbooks glorify are racist. History isn't pretty. Don't tell us that it is.

    It's time that we reach beyond Black History Month and slavery, and talk about the Black people who invented and created and inspired so many things. It's time that we take a look at the real heroes. It's time we hand them the mic. They deserve it.

    As for those who history wrongfully glorifies, we need to start telling the whole story. The founding fathers were slave owners. Don't dismiss them as "nice" slave owners- they were racist slave owners. We need to start understanding that the important figures in history weren't storybook heroes. They were severely flawed. Don't downplay it, don't say that it was okay. Make sure that when we talk about these people that we understand they supported an oppressive, racist system.

    Black history isn't a priority in education. How will racism ever die if it continues to live in our textbooks?

    Spoiler alert: it won't.

RESEARCH
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/juneteenth-schools-education-black-history/
https://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/publications/articles/se_810117014.pdf