Black History Month. Latin American Culture Week. We’ve all heard the phrases and watched the CNN specials. Is it a good thing or a bad thing to set aside these times to observe and celebrate a particular sector of American society? Reactions seem to vary depending on who you ask and the lines are not necessarily drawn by race.    

Let’s look at a few facts. The founding fathers of this country and writers of the Constitution were essentially white males. Right from the beginning, that dominant demographic became the standard bearer for every aspect of American life. It is a power structure that has endured since the country’s inception. The concept of women and blacks having rights or not having rights was such a non-issue during the country's birth that the Constitution didn't even address their existence. Black Americans by law have only had equal rights in this country for the last 50 years or so. That is a relatively short amount of time in terms of history, and society tends to evolve at a leaden pace. Not surprisingly, a degree of residual resentment exists on both sides lending itself to our ongoing problem with racism.

There is no denying that old world thinking still exists among some White Americans. Older generations in particular tend to be resistant to change and don’t always accept the progress that’s been made as we ever so slowly move towards true equality. They see race in terms of the status quo set forth by the founding fathers over 200 years ago. Sadly, they pass their prejudice and bias down the line to their own children and grandchildren. This resistance to societal change is reflected in their disposition towards cultural acknowledgment of blacks and other minorities. 
   
Yet another thought process exists concerning Black Culture Week and other celebrations of minority cultures. As far as I’m concerned, Black history is part of American history and vice versa. I don’t feel it should be necessary to make a distinction between the two.  Although Black and White cultures both have their own unique aspects and experiences to them, I see the two entities as part of the same whole. My concern is that such constant focus on racial differences will ultimately inhibit the spirit of community that American society should be striving towards. In this regard, even a celebration of one’s race can be questioned in terms of its benefit to the social order as a whole.

Despite the side effect of separation these cultural celebrations may result in, I do understand their purpose and defend their place in modern society. Whites need to remember that their collective voice has not been stifled over the course of history. Blacks and other minorities had no say in the building of this country or the creation of the laws that would affect them. Civil rights for all may have been granted by law in the 1960’s but resistance has allowed the battle to rage on. Ethnic minorities celebrating their culture through History Months and Celebration Weeks are sharing an aspect of history that was built on oppression which is something that Whites are not familiar with, not from the same viewpoint anyway. Considering that the minority voice was wholly repressed for the bulk of our history, it seems reasonable that we can all learn from it now no matter how uncomfortable it may be for some. Despite this, I think we can all agree that a long term goal of true equality should be commonly sought. At some point down the road, we will all need to let go of past sins, resentment and prejudices in order to become one people and one voice.