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Party
USA:
Statements |
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Statement on Black History Month
From
the SPUSA People of Color Commission
February is Black History Month. It's a time when our public
institutions, and corporations give a little extra attention to the
accomplishments and contributions to the story of the Americas made by
Black Americans. Established by Carter G Woodson in 1926, it's purpose
was to promote the contributions made by Black Americans in an effort
to undo the contention that Black people have no history, and have made
no significant contributions to the history of the Americas.
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Since 1926 this project has come along way. What started as a one week
remembrance of Black American accomplishments has become an entire
month. As a child Black History Month began and ended with the ring of
the school bell. By the mid 90's McDonalds (if only on BET) began
crafting ads for fast food to coincide with the month of February. If
we weren't yet recognized as key players in the American experience,
our spending power certainly was. As with all things in our country
whatever can be turned into a commodity will be turned into a commodity.
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The Socialist Party USA is pleased to recognize and celebrate February
as Black History month. As socialists we recognize the central
role in American, and global history that African peoples occupy. You
cannot address the history of religion, science, art, or the study of
history itself without beginning with the story of the African. For
socialists it is also important to move the stories of Black people out
of it's box in February and into the larger narrative of American
History in order to reconstruct a story of the Americas as seen and
experienced from the people on the bottom.
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There can be no legitimate account of American history that
distinguishes between it's peoples contributions based on the color of
their skin.
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