As the nation celebrates Black History Month, a viral video that has become a hit on YouTube demonstrates that much work needs to be done to educate American college students on the subject.
Dave Ackerman, who works as a stand-up comedian, donned blackface and went out on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and interviewed students on Black history. While it is impossible to determine whether those students presented on the video are representative of the student body or are simply a small minority of all students interviewed, the video clearly shows a significant level of ignorance and racism. One student said he celebrated Black History Month by “eating fried chicken and drinking grape juice.”
Ackerman said his purpose in making the video was to fight ignorance. During the course of his shooting the video, Ackerman said only three students commented on the fact that he was a White man in blackface. This fact he said, “was disturbing.”
Here is the video. It has been viewed more than 640,000 times on YouTube.
Amazing what is supposedly taught in the middle schools is forgotten as the child progresses. Isn’t this a possible argument for African American history to be intertwined with good ole American history?
There really should not be an argument or a debate. This issue should be addressed by those who are in the education field: Americans of African ancestry. Throughout the nation many Americans of African ancestry have become superintendents of school districts. In these positions they have the power and authority to add to schools’ curriculum. Yet many do not see this as important. The so-called African American needs to learn: what nationality is and what is their nationality? This is a very visual country and to call yourself a black American or African American is redundant when most of us are judged face first. We are Americans when it comes to war and the Olympics, but when it comes to our rights we are something else. Can African America be found on a map?
Thank you for your excellent insights.