An inspired collection of articles hand-picked each month by the KMA team. Please enjoy.
November
Black History Month:
History, Heritage, and Inspiration
Starting with the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and continuing through Black History Month in February, the beginning of the year is a time for reflection on the history of African Americans. This year the official theme of Black History Month is “African Americans and the Civil War.”
The participation of many African-Americans in the conflict is a good springboard to discuss the significant contributions of this culture, as well as its many struggles.
KMA offers the following resources to shed more light on African American history, heritage and inspiration.
The U.S. Mainstream view, as manifested by “zero-tolerance” discrimination policies in U.S. agencies and organizations promotes a standard that sees fault in any blemish of moral character, and admission of that fault as a punishable offense. The African American cultural position also centers around moral character but is less focused on blame and punishment than correction and moral redemption especially if the effort people are making is sincere. Read more »
African Americans talk about the demands of family and community and the need to “move out to move up.” This creates problems not only for them but for others coming from a collective oriented culture. They’re not just individuals. They’re also members of a group. Latino, Asian, and Middle Eastern Americans echo many of these sentiments. Read more »
Social and Political Change
Black History Month Campaign of World Music Artist David M
For Black History Month artist David M is mounting a national campaign called “Our Silence Speaks Volumes.” He is calling on African-Americans to refrain from the use of their cell phones/texting for one day. David M's "Lest We Forget" song and video are poignant... Read more »
2011: African Americans and the Civil War
Association for the Study of African American Life and History
In honor of the efforts of people of African descent to destroy slavery and inaugurate universal freedom in the United States, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History has selected “African Americans and the Civil War” as the 2011 National Black History Theme. We urge all Americans to study and reflect on the value of their contributions to the nation. Read more »
African Americans in Civil War Medicine
National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Library of Medicine (NLM) New Exhibit:
This important exhibit explores the participation and contributions of African Americans as surgeons, nurses and hospital workers.
National Park Service
Approximately 180,000 African Americans comprising 163 units served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and many more African Americans served in the Union Navy. Both free African Americans and runaway slaves joined the fight. Learn more about this history, as well as the Underground Railroad, and the African American Civil War Memorial. Read more »
An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Roots of Racism and Slavery in America delves into the philosophical, historical, socio/cultural and political evolution of racism and slavery in America.
“Goes a long way toward showing a lay audience the value, integrity, and aesthetic sensibility of black culture, and moreover the conflicts which arise when its values are treated as deviant versions of majority ones.”
