Guest Editorial: Protect Black History

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Do you miss something that you never had? What is the sound of one hand clapping? Is intelligent design a reality? What is the origin of Black History Month? The foregoing are questions that have been asked at one time or another by people. When looking at them, some are easier to discuss with clarity than others. For the most part, however, people respond to these questions through the lenses of individual taste. When assessing the aforementioned questions, the one about Black History Month (BHM) will be the easiest for a specific response. The Black History monthlong celebration was instituted in 1976. Prior to that time, it was celebrated as Negro History Week. The observance was pioneered by Carter G. Woodson, a scholar who was dedicated to the accomplishments of Black people. He chose the month of February because two of the people that he admired the most were born during that month, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The celebration of Black History Month did not happen without an element of controversy. Complaints have included questions as to why BHM...