Black History, One Day A Year
I stand accused. Like most parents, my husband and I work to make sure Jae has the best of everything- the best exposure, educational opportunities, and resources. Additionally, I spend a great deal of time grooming him to be cultured, polished and knowledgeable of diverse subject matters, yet he and his father often say, "You are doing too much." Until recently, I strongly disagreed with them because being cultured is critical for him to safely and comfortably navigate diverse spaces as a Black male. One thing I failed to realize is that 'cultured' looks different for Jae. Yes, he is intelligent, articulate, and as well-mannered as you can expect for a 4th-grade boy, but I am afraid he does not really understand his culture, Black culture. This became evident when he told me Black History was for only one day. For the life of me, I couldn't understand this. We have conversations about Black culture, what it means to be Black in America, and individuals who have fought in the struggle for Blacks' civil rights, including his pawpaw, my dad. His comment paralyzed me for a minute. The only thing I could think about was, from where did this come?
Then it dawned on me. I become consumed with Jae speaking and behaving in an admissible manner because using African American Vernacular English (e.g., ebonics; slang) and exhibiting cultural behaviors are often seen as unprofessional and inappropriate that I have instead been minimizing who he is. Another thought is that his school environment is grounded in whiteness and lacks cultural inclusiveness. Over 90% of the school faculty is white, the curriculum is not culturally relevant, and students' cultures (e.g., Blacks, Chinese Americans, and Hispanics) are only highlighted once of year. For Black students, this is in February, and for Jae, one day- the day he presents his black history presentation. From this experience, I learned I have to be more intentional in crafting conversations and experiences that promote his cultural awareness. While it is beneficial for him to navigate diverse spaces and environments, it is just as crucial for him not to lose a sense of who he is to fit in with the predominant cultural group.
Therefore, it is my responsibility as a parent to help him be cultured, but in his own culture. I am not denouncing other cultures or making Black culture more superior. To me, we all breathe the same and should embrace each others' differences. However, children from racial minority groups do not learn about the positive aspects of their culture at home, in schools, and in society.
I am challenging Jae to diversify his reading selection by adding African American and multicultural storybooks and novels to his reading list. In February, he read Rent Party Jazz, Trombone Shorty, and Crown: To Ode to the Fresh Cut. This month we will read Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome together. Finding Langston tells the story of an 11 years old boy named Langston who moves from Alabama to Chicago with Dad after his mother's death. In Chicago, Langston grapples with racism and discrimination, bullying, and grief. The author does a great job of bringing awareness to social justice issues to help young readers understand the history of oppression in America. As an educator, I use diverse literature with identifiable and relatable characters to help increase students' cultural competence and self-awareness; however, at home, Jae reads what he wants to, as long as he is reading. This will no longer be the case; I will be using literature in the same way to diffuse the 'miseducation' of Jae.
How you are teaching your children about their culture?