Black history month

Black History Month Real Life Feb 22 2008

Intro

Black history is a very important part of American history. But it wasn’t always viewed that way. As African-Americans have struggled for equality, they have also struggled for recognition for those who came before them.

Since African-American history was largely ignored for a long time and not taught in schools, February is national Black History Month. The month serves to make sure that people like Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave and successful author, and Abraham Lincoln, the President who freed the slaves, aren’t forgotten.

Lincoln and Douglass were both born in February, which is how the month was chosen. But lots of other important moments in black history happened in February. Blacks were given the right to vote, and the first black senator was elected in February. It’s also the month that famous militant leader Malcolm X was assassinated.

But black history isn’t all politics. It’s also community. Listen to Devan and Beren talk about how Black History Month can make you think about the history of your neighborhood.

Dialogue

Listen to streaming audio of this English lesson >

Beren

Devan

Beren: So, uh, February’s Black History Month. I don’t know…Are there lots of events surrounding it? I’m aware, but only because I live in the section of the city where it’s predominantly African-Americans.

Devan: I just started college so being in school makes you take a lot more note of it than I would normally. We’ve been discussing Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and the whole civil rights movement, but I feel like normal, working people don’t have a lot of exposure to the month and I think it’s important. I think there should be more activities in the community to celebrate it.

Beren: Yeah, definitely. I think…I don’t know, especially in…where it’s predominantly African-American, they do…They have whole days devoted to different African-American history details like the history of the neighborhood, but I think people in the outer reaches have no idea what’s going on.

Devan: That’s interesting. Are you going to partake in some of the events?

Beren: Possibly.

Discussion

Beren asks Devan if there are a lot of events going on for Black History Month. Devan isn’t sure, but she says that black history has been a topic of discussion at her school. She worries that people who aren’t in school might not notice that it’s Black History Month.

Beren says that she notices it’s Black History Month because there are celebrations in her neighborhood of the area’s black heritage.

What’s the history of your neighborhood? Is it tied to the history of your country?

Vocab X predominantly adv. Definition: mostly; refers to the majority Example: Germany is predominantly inhabited by Germans, but lots of Turks live there too. heritage n. Definition: cultural history or background Example: My heritage is French, German and Bohemian. surrounding expr. Definition: about,in relation to Example: The circumstances surrounding his death were mysterious. assassinated v. Definition: murdered by surprise, usually applied to famous people Example: The people rioted when the king was assassinated. black adj. Definition: having dark brown skin; of African ancestry Example: There are a lot of black people in Atlanta, Georgia. recognition n. Definition: credit; honor Example: I think Mike deserves some recognition for all the work he did to make this event happen. partake v. Definition: participate; benefit from; have some Example: I would like to partake of your pecan pie. outer reaches n. Definition: edges of the city or country Example: The people get more religious the further you go into the outer reaches. civil rights movement n. Definition: a struggle throughout the past few hundred years for minorities (women, blacks, etc) to gain equal rights in the US Example: Martin Luther King was one of the greatest leaders in the civil rights movement. take note v. Definition: notice, pay attention to Example: Please take note: the water will be shut off tomorrow for repairs.

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