Art of Life/Donna Parker
Black History Month: A Different Perspective
Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better. — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Let us look at our Black History Month celebration from a different perspective. Some people may fail to appreciate the importance of Black History Month because they do not see how it matters to them. They might not see Black history as their history. Some may even feel frustrated by being told that racism is still a problem in their country, and the idea that we need to make society less racist is an affront to their worldview. We each have our own unique way of looking at the world and with this comes blind spots. To get past this blindness, we need to learn from people who have different points of view.
Renowned historian Carter G. Woodson commented on how all Americans should view history as a unified whole.
“We should emphasize, not Negro history, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.” — Carter G. Woodson
Is it counter-productive to portray history as anything but unified? Maybe the issue that some people have is it forces us to confront the fact that any and all of us can be biased, and that some of us benefit from racist structures. I am not saying that we should do away with celebrating Black History Month in America because I understand why it is important. However, for all of our children, it is important to teach them history that does not exclude someone’s contribution because they are of a different ethnicity.
This year's theme for Black History Month, "Black Health and Wellness," takes a look at how American healthcare has often underserved the African-American community.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has recently shown, a widespread disparity of access to quality healthcare negatively impacts outcomes for Blacks and other minorities.
The root of the problem, for Black people goes deep, and back centuries. Beginning with slavery a lack of economic opportunity, often put medical care out of reach for many African-Americans. Even in good economic times, during the Jim Crow era, “whites Only” hospitals were commonplace throughout the South. Black medical facilities were often understaffed, underfunded, or non-existent. This stark reality gave credence to Black folk remedies saying: “When white folks catch a cold, Black folks get pneumonia.”
Black folk remedies helped pick up the slack involving rituals and incantations, harking back to its African roots. Many plant-based medicines were also part of the cure. These included garlic for high blood pressure, and aloe vera for skin injuries which have since been validated in scientific studies.
It was only into the 20th century when Black America was given a better shot at institutional health care, when the US government threatened to withhold Medicare payments to 'Whites Only" medical institutions and — almost overnight — hospitals were desegregated. The year was 1964 with the passage of the Civil Rights Act.
More than 40 years later, following years of negotiations with the health insurance industry, the Affordable Care Act was eventually passed by the Obama administration that gave better access to medical care for Americans of all colors.
Today, (almost unbelievably for a rich industrialized nation), the U.S. continues to lag behind the rest of the world in providing affordable medical care for a majority of its citizens. As a result, African-Americans, other minorities and especially the poor remain among the country's most vulnerable populations.
Disparities still exist across health conditions when comparing African Americans and whites, including maternal mortality, infant mortality, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other health issues. Social factors, including economic disadvantage, inequities in education, and lack of access to health care, impact a person’s ability to lead a healthy and productive life. For people in American society that experience racism and inequality in their daily lives, and throughout their lifespan, the impact of social factors on health are the most grave.
African Americans have endured racism within American society for hundreds of years. Studies conducted over time have been consistent in proving that racism not only impacts social stratification, but also the ability of African Americans to be healthy—both mentally and physically. This burden—a burden that is indeed inescapable for many black and brown people in this country—causes African Americans to die prematurely and experience chronic illnesses and mental health challenges at higher rates than white Americans.
Some people may not understand the importance of Black History Month, but by taking on new perspectives and making the effort to learn about all aspects of Black history, not just those that can be covered in a single month, we can truly appreciate just how vital Black history is to all of us.
“Yes we can.” — Barack Obama, President of the United States
