Black History Month and Beyond

I've had the privilege to meet Rosa Parks and to be in the same room with Maya Angelou as she recited poems in her soothing yet powerful lyrical voice. Those kind of moments are invigorating. It's as if those moments hug you and whisper to your soul: "remember me".

I reserved this post until the last day of Black History Month because it seems like people are all jazzed about black history come the beginning of February but by the middle of the month most of all the hype has fizzled down.

Hopefully this post will light your fire to remember that learning about black history isn't designated to one month, learning about people and cultures could never be squeezed into a day, a month or even a year. There's so much to learn about every culture that you have to make it a life pursuit to be enriched by the diversity of all the poeple God created. That's why I'll never buy into the whole, let's make our society "colorblind" rhetoric. I don't want to be colorblind, nothing about God and His creation is bland, one look at the sunset or the array of flowers is proof that God likes color. So instead of being colorblind and trying to cover peoples' obvious melanin differences, I say we should embrace them in all their cultural glory, but remember that the most important color is red, that is the heart that beats inside all of us. So I present you with my Black History and Beyond list because Black History Month symbolizes more than celebrating black history, it's one ripple in the pond for celebrating all our contributions in the American society.

Also, be sure to check out your local library for all kind of cultural events that take place year round.

Black History interests:

• Google Jo Ann Robinson, a black civil rights activist

• Check out Henry Hampton at PBS

• Read The Color of Water by James McBride

• Watch 10,000 Black Men Named George

Hispanic American interests:

• Read some books by Isabel Allende

• Learn about Hispanic Heritage Month

• Watch American Family

Asian American interests:

• Google Hmong Americans

• Check out Camy Tang's blog

• Watch The Joy Luck Club

Middle Eastern American interests:

• Google Chaldean Americans

• Listen to some Messianic music

• Watch the movie Osama

"[God] causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." - Matthew 5:45