Just a little pie chart to ponder... First, the demographic percentages of the US's major minority populations:
...versus the google results for their respective national, month-long cultural observances.
Timeline:
Black History Month began in 1893 as Colored American Day.
Women's History Month began in 1911 as International Women's Day.
Native American Heritage Month began in 1915 as American Indian Day.
Hispanic Heritage Month began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month began in 1978 as Asian American Heritage Week.
Gay and Lesbian Pride Month began in 2000.
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Gay And Lesbian Pride Month (4), Native American Heritage Month (9), Gay Pride Month (2), Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (47), Hispanic Heritage Month (31), Black History Month (105), Women's History Month (30)Recent Posts From Eric Brightwell
Comments
I'll update the info about Colored American's Day. Thanks.
I agree. If the education improves, we won't _need_ special observances but I still enjoy recognizing contributions and cultural differences.
First some accuracy: it was Frederick Douglass who started the first annual recognition with Colored American's Day in 1893 when he noticed at the World's Fair in Chicago that the only recognition of the contribution of Black People was over in the pavilion erected none other than the free'd themselves/ former slaves of Haiti. In 1895: The National Association of Colored Women's Club took it from Colored American Day to the Annual Celebration of Negro History. Then, in 1926 Dr. Carter G. Woodson- the son of former slaves who got his PhD from Harvard - the second Black Man to do so after W.E.B. DuBois - it was Dr. Woodson in 1926 that brought it to Negro History Week. If anyone wonders, it was Dr. Woodson who chose the month of February to honor the birth dates of Abe Lincoln (12th) and Frederick Douglass (14th) ...this is just to dispel the 'shortest month of the year insult' that floats around. In the 1970's it was changed to Black History Week, and in 1976 it became Black History Month. Now that there is a basis of accuracy from which to discuss the issue, who exactly are you addressing insofar as your question "Black History Month is all good, but why not recognize the rest?" This country needs to print accurate, honest and in depth children/ young adult history textbooks before printing more posters for months assigned to 'insert minority here' to hang on the classroom wall. If the education is there, we could all come to a point where we could, at some distant time, not need 'special months' to remind people of these contributions. As far as the post-ellipse afterthought: Homosexuals of any type seem to be much more concerned with gaining the basic minimum of equal rights and not be constitutionally cemented as second class citizens than they are concerned with 'deserving recognition' as far as "Insert Minority Name Here Month!"