Why Black History Month Matters To Me
Posted by Sabrina | Posted in Human Resources, Job Search, Management | Posted on 02-02-2012
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I was raised in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. It is a town just south of Louisville. If you have heard of it, it is probably only for one reason – the KKK. Even though the organization has fizzled out in that part of town now, when I was young they were there. Their presence ensured that everyone I went to school with, everyone at my church, everyone at the restaurants we frequented, looked just like me.
I remember there was a big deal in my senior year of high school because a black family moved to town. This was the first time in my life I went to school with someone who was not white – and I was a senior. There were rumors. Ignorant people said stupid things. It was all very ridiculous. The poor young girl, who was a freshman, not only had to deal with her first year in high school, but doing so in a town where the “likes of her” had never been before. Her fellow students weren’t the problem, but the parents, that’s another story.
I went to college with much of the same. There was a bit more diversity, but still, for the most part diversity was more about what you put on your plate at the dinner table rather than the people sitting next to you. It wasn’t until I met my husband and moved to Chicago that I experienced true diversity. In fact, most of the time in this city I feel like the minority and I’m cool with that.
I want that for my son. I want him to grow up not noticing differences in skin color. I want diversity to be normal for him. We just enrolled him in a new daycare and there is so much diversity in his class it’s amazing. I was never exposed to that at such a young age. I’m hoping this exposure will make him more understanding, more tolerant and less ignorant than those I grew up with.
So that’s why Black History Month Matter to Me. What about you?
Excellent!! So here’s a quick version of my story. In Memphis its mostly black. 4 whites in my High School. I had limited contact and although this is the birthplace of Elvis, Dr. King was killed here. Lot’s of deep seeded racism.
But I went to undergrad in IOWA..Culture shock for me and them. In the end I learned a lot and made friends. Now I want my nieces and nephews to get out and experience other cultures.
Rock Solid
I grew up just north of Birmingham, Alabama. I’ve always heard about the civil rights movement – one of the parks downtown has statues of the police officers and their dogs attacking protestors.
The little town I grew up in had zero diversity. Everyone looked like me, everyone went to a church like mine, or mostly like mine. When I went to the local community college, it was a little different, but pretty much the same thing. We had the odd exchange student from time to time, but they never stayed long and we mostly had European kids.
I promised myself when I had a child of my own, I would make sure that kid was around a much more diverse group of people, and it’s one thing I like about living in Houston – we have lots of all different kinds of people, and even in her just beginning to toddle class there are kids with all sorts of skin tones and backgrounds.
So I definitely get what you mean, and I feel much the same way.
Thanks Kelly and Chris for sharing your stories. Diversity is so important and I love that people are ensuring their children get it at such an early age.
I grew up in Jersey. There was a little bit of everyone. We were very open about race and ethnicity. I was aware of it but didn’t limit myself.
That changed when I went South for college. Race and class lines were clear. It was tough for me to adjust and I almost transferred. But I found a good network of friends and muddled through. It really changed me though. And not in a way that is for the better. I miss that girl who could talk openly about race and ethnicity without side-eyes and labels.
For me, Black History Month is a nice reminder of the challenges and triumphs of Black people inAmerica. It is bittersweet but necessary.
Thanks Buzz. It’s interesting to hear the other side, someone who grew up in diversity and then went somewhere without it. It’s definitely something you take for granted if you grew up with it. It’s wonderful to be open and honest about differences rather than draw lines. Hopefully someday soon everyone will see that.