As February - Black History Month - comes to a close, African-Americans at Tufts are weighing in on its changing and continuing significance.
Associate Professor of History Gerald Gill, who teaches two courses on African-American history in the United States, said he believes that black history should be part of regular history.
"I'm not happy that February is set aside for [celebration]," he said.
Gill, who is African-American, said that the problem with celebrating black history in February alone is that students of all ages learn about events from vastly different chronological eras.
For example, slavery and the civil rights movement occurred in two different centuries, yet they and other parts of black history are discussed in such a short period of time that black history appears as if it constitutes a very small part of the historical spectrum.
"I still respect the month of February because of its historical importance," he said, but he added that he believes "the history of people of African descent should be yearlong."
Africana Center Director Lisa Coleman argued that the month still serves to highlight oft-forgotten aspects of the past.
"This is a systemic and systematic way to recognize the historical and contemporary erasure of the contributions of people of African descent and to bring attention to ongoing relations between and among distinct racial groups within the U.S. and outside of the U.S," she wrote in an e-mail to the Daily.
Coleman said the lack of acknowledgment of minority contributions is unacceptable.
"If one could be sure that during all of the months the contributions of people of African, Asian, Latino descent, women and LGBT people were consistently institutionalized and recognized we would not need any of the months or weeks [of celebration]," she wrote. "However, this is not the case."
Coleman added that Black History Month is hardly just for blacks, but rather serves to raise awareness of ongoing racial issues in the U.S.
"Veteran's day is not only for Veterans," she wrote. "Black History Month is again a time for education and reflection. It is for everyone and sometimes most relevant for people who are not of African descent."
But Gill said that since many non-blacks feel the month does not pertain to them, they are put off by it: "For most people who don't have an idea of Black History Month, they may see it as divisive," he said.
Although the civil rights era took place nearly a half-century ago, freshman Jennifer Bailey, who is African-American, said that many aspects of non-blacks' perceptions of blacks have not changed since movement took place.
"Unfortunately, 40 years after the civil rights movement, it's sad that we haven't reached the point where black history and American history are one and the same," Bailey said. "We have to have a month dedicated to 400 years of history."
Many blacks today, including Academy-Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, say the month is offensive to blacks rather than celebratory. Gill, though he has his problems with the month, said he firmly stands apart from that camp.
"I don't find it offensive," Gill said. "I think those people who are black who say Black History Month is offensive don't understand the full importance of it. I disagree strongly with people who say the celebration of February is racist."
Gill noted that support of black culture in February is no longer strictly limited to groups promoting black issues.
"McDonald's is a major supporter of Black History Month," he said. "Nike does the same thing. Major corporations have linked ads to Black History Month to [appeal to blacks]."
But Gill recommended that those corporations could run similar ads throughout the entire year. "That's something they can do year-round rather than restrict those activities to February," he said.
At Tufts, Gill said there are those who promote black culture throughout the school year. "The Africana Center does programming the entire year, not just the month of February," he said.
Coleman wrote that the Africana Center attempts "to educate people to live in a diverse world."
She added that "it is important to examine that which may have been overlooked and the significance of these contributions to our contemporary society."
Bailey said that racial differences among people tend to foster misconceptions.
"I actually think difference is a beautiful thing," she said. "Differences make us who we are and make America so great. It's only when differences are partnered with hatred and fear that diversity becomes a negative issue and is viewed in a negative light. Not acknowledging differences is just as bad as racism."
Coleman echoed Bailey's sentiments. "Far too often, the idea of color-blindness and diversity are a way to flatten out differences - difference becomes negative - and this leads to difficulties," she wrote. "Flattening out difference is one form of erasure. It is covert, but nonetheless a way to equate difference with negativity and silence."
