Black History Month

This February, we honor Black History Month for thecivil rights movement's martyred heroes-Martin Luther
84th time since Professor Carter G. Woodson beganKing, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, Fred Hampton, James
the tradition as "Negro History Week" all the way backChaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and all
in 1926. In 2009, though, something about our nationalthe others-will still never get to walk in the promised
recognition of the African-American past seems just aland. Emmett Till will still never live to see his fifteenth
bit different. For the very first time, we celebrate Blackbirthday. Barack Obama or no Barack Obama, the
History Month while a black American sits in the Whitetroubled history of race in America - a history that
House, filling the country's top job as ourcontinues to affect the lives of millions of ordinary
commander-in-chief.people, of all races, even today - will still never go
Just about everyone would agree that Barackaway, and should never be forgotten.
Obama's election to the presidency has been an eventBut in another sense, the answer is less clear. Consider
of major historical significance. But is it possible thatexamples from literature. If we radically change a
Obama's election will even begin to transform thebook's ending, do we also change the meaning of all
entire broader meaning of African-American history?the preceding chapters? What becomes of The Great
We have usually understood black history as a storyGatsby if the characters avoided the fateful car
of perseverance and painfully slow progress in theaccident that sent events spiraling out of control?
face of overwhelming oppression, a story aboutWould Hamlet morph from tragedy to comedy if only
carving out hope and possibility in a world marked byour favorite prince of Denmark could somehow
real and enduring racial limits. This is a story that startssurvive the last act? Does Barack Obama's
with Booker T. Washington promising nervous whites,presidency represent this kind of a stunning twist in the
"In all things that are purely social we can be as"plot" of black history? If so, has black history itself just
separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in allbecome a different story? Did all the dark moments of
things essential to mutual progress," and a story thatour national past just transform from markers of
ends with Tupac Shakur rapping, only a decade ago,endless tragedy into mere obstacles that had to be
"Although it seems heaven sent / We ain't ready toovercome on a heroic quest for equality? Now that
have a black president." Barack Obama doesn't fitwe know that Tupac was wrong, now that we are
easily into that story. Do we need a new story, then?ready to see a black president - and not just any
Can change in the present also, in a sense, change theblack president, but one whose early approval ratings
past?are peaking at near-historic levels, and whose first
In one sense, the answer is obvious: No, it can't. Barackconfrontation with Congress just ended with stunning
Obama notwithstanding, the Civil War will still alwaysvictory on the economic stimulus plan - has everything
end with emancipated slaves granted only a cruelchanged? Does black history today mean something
mockery of true freedom. The Jim Crow era will stillfundamentally different than it did before election day?
always be remembered as a time of terroristic racialOnly time will tell.
violence and endless everyday racial humiliation. The