Black History Month

Welcome to Black History Month - the month dedicated to focusing on and Celebrating our countries Black History. Why don't we have White History Month? Well, for obvious reasons - we are taught our countries White History everyday - through out my time in elementary, Jr. High (they weren't middle school back "in the day") and high school - I learned ALL about the White History of our country. I can remember oodles of things about the white guys who founded our country - who fought for our country - who invented things for our country - but really only remember black history covering the slavery and years from 1960 forward - even that info was sketchy and included few strong African American figures. On a side note - there are just as few American Women mentioned. I remember Betsy Ross - she sewed a flag. I remember Eleanor Roosevelt - Gloria Stienem, wait, I don't think she was in my history book I think I searched her out myself.

Anyway - back to my point. My point is that it is Black History Month and there is very little taught in the public schools - private schools - parochial schools - basically "the schools" (in my day) that covered this topic. Why is that?

White Privilege.

What is that? White Privilege? Well............as defined by WikiPedia....

"White privilege is the advantages enjoyed by white people beyond that which is commonly experienced by non-white people in those same social, political, and economic spaces (nation, community, workplace, income, etc.). It differs from racism or prejudice in that a person benefiting from white privilege does not necessarily hold racist beliefs or prejudices themselves and can be, as is often the case, unaware of his or her privilege."

Doesn't sound awful when defined - however, it is terribly damaging when put in action. Not damaging for the white person who is experiencing the privilege - but certainly damaging for the person of color who is experiencing the privilege.

So for Black History Month I am going to give some White Privilege experiences. Personally, I have had them. However, I know others who have had them too - and I read about them. So I am going to pick and chose them to post. Throw up some info about what could be different. Hopefully get some of you to give me your stories that we can include. I understand that most of the people who hit this site are my friends and family - and primarily white - but you see things. As you read maybe you will see more things. Maybe you will notice how you use White Privilege in not so great ways. Maybe you will change your views. Maybe you will change the way you interact with people. Maybe you will "Be The Change You Want To See" - as my friend CK mentioned yesterday.

Maybe - Hopefully - Possibly