Black History Month has been around in United States' schools since 1976, but as a school child, I never heard of it nor celebrated it. In 1976 I was in high school in America where I should have learned about it, but I don't remember it at all.

I grew up and attended school in a white community in Indiana, which is in the middle of the country. So my school might have chosen not to celebrate Black History Month or maybe they did and I have simply forgotten it. 

What I try to do now, as an educator, is to include such celebrations in my list of holidays', cultural and traditions' discussions in my classes. These lessons are some of my favorite. It's important to offer lessons not only about grammar and language skills, but also some about how we think, live and what we value.

I have a few good friends who are Black, but they, too, grew up in white communities and have told me that they feel they have had to 'act white' to get jobs, be rented apartments to, etc. Those experiences they have had make me sad, but as an immigrant, I, too, have had to blend in with the local population in order to get jobs or other opportunities.

What I find encouraging about awareness of others in our predominantly (= mostly) white USA is the movements to protest against injustice, especially after George Floyd's death, politicians who are mixed race finding success like Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, and Hollywood movies featuring Black casts such as Black Panther. All of these people and their experiences they share on tv or in the newspapers brings 'blackness' even to white corners of the United States.

If you like talking about such topics, book a lesson with me today! I have a lot of cultural discussions for you to choose from.