Illustration by Hana Ito
Mr. Milton: Black American History
In a sentence, what is Black History Month?
Its intentions are positive; it’s to correct an incomplete storytelling of a country.聽
Historiography is about how the more information we have, the better we understand the past. And so that study of historiography has got us to this point. To some degree, you have to recognize that there were鈥攁re鈥攃ertain groups of people who suffered and were exploited for the 鈥渂etterment鈥 of [the United States].
Do most textbooks and history courses do their due diligence?
No, of course not. There鈥檚 a cursory level acknowledgment of [Black] representation in the history of this country. But I don鈥檛 think we spend a lot of time in-depth talking about their contributions. Instead, we 鈥渕ention鈥 slavery.
The AP U.S. History textbook that we use, the Enduring Vision, briefs the experiences of some demographics (e.g. Women, African Americans, Native Americans) in isolated segments. How does that play into how we learn U.S. history?
If it requires its own section; we鈥檙e not doing due diligence in weaving a mosaic of the history. If we were doing a good job of that, we wouldn鈥檛 have specific addendums for Black people or women.聽
It could be argued that isolated segments are helpful because it maintains a focus on marginalized groups. What then? Which better reflects history?
Because we still have issues with gender and race, I agree, there is a need for [isolated segments]. But in a utopian world, if we didn鈥檛 have those gender and race issues, we wouldn鈥檛 be telling a story of different groups of people, just of America.聽
You do need to carve out your segments. You need those crutches.聽
What do the recent changes to the AP African American studies course suggest about Black history in American education?
Educators and curriculum directors decided that the initial draft of the course needed to include topics like Critical Race Theory and Black Lives Matter and others. But these things have subsequently been made optional. A lot of people believe this change was politically motivated. It鈥檚 dangerous when the government starts to override experts in certain fields.聽
It鈥檚 going to create a larger divide political divide. Kids going to school in certain areas are going to get one version, whereas kids in different areas are getting another. And that decision is based on adults who are outside the field of education.
History changes, and evolved by chronology. It shouldn鈥檛 be dictated by your geographic location in the States.
When we study Black historical figures, should we recognize them as 鈥淏lack,鈥 or should we refrain from labeling a race, the same way we don鈥檛 ascribe 鈥淲hite鈥 to most American historical figures?
I go through this with my wife all the time, when I鈥檒l be watching the US women鈥檚 soccer team and I鈥檒l say, 鈥淎bby Wambach, who鈥檚 one of the best women’s soccer players鈥,鈥 and my wife points out that I specified 鈥渇emale.鈥 It鈥檚 a really good point. They鈥檙e all soccer players. Can I not just say she鈥檚 one of the best U.S. soccer players?
So I ask myself, in terms of colorblindness: is there a chance or place where [true color blindness] will ever exist? Sure, I hope so. I think we should be talking about people without race鈥攁nd maybe it鈥檚 optimistic鈥攂ut it鈥檚 silly to mention someone鈥檚 race when discussing their qualifications.聽
In the U.S., Black History Month is celebrated in February. In the U.K., it鈥檚 celebrated in October. Is there a key significance in celebrating American Black History as opposed to British Black History? How are they different?
I don鈥檛 know if I鈥檓 talking out of turn here, but if I were British, I wouldn鈥檛 want to be affiliated with the American celebration of Black History. That鈥檚 fair, given [the United States] longevity of slavery and Civil War / Reconstruction segregation. We鈥檙e talking about five decades ago. The history of Black people in those countries has a very different story.聽