HARLINGEN — How do you cram the history of an entire people into one month?
Some African Americans take exception to the idea of a Black History Month, asserting such a long and diverse history cannot be observed in one month. Actor Morgan Freeman has been especially vocal about this.
However, Harlingen school board member George McShan supports observing Black History Month each February, as do many others. Setting aside an entire month gives people cause to take notice of notable figures in African American history.
“Every month should be American history,” said McShan, who has served on the school board since 1988.
“It should be Black history as well,” he said. “Our history is what you call a combination of all that. Everybody’s history is important. But ours is different in that we were disenfranchised for 200 years, and that’s some-thing you cannot forget.”
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