Throughout the month of February, Black History Month is celebrated. What was originally negro week, founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, and then later changed to Black History Month in 1976, by President Nixon, celebrates the lives and discoveries and impacts African-Americans have had on the U.S throughout history. Shukree Hassan Tilghman, the director of the documentary “More Than a Month,” explores the importance of black history and tries to get rid of Black History Month. The director’s message in “More Than a Month,” is that black history goes so much deeper than just a month of celebration, and to show true respect, Black history should be American history. The director uses ethos to convince the audience of this message. An example …show more content…
In the interview, which included mostly close-up shots, Freeman says “I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history.” This is important because Morgan Freeman, a very famous actor and African-American, doesn’t believe that there should be only a month where black history is celebrated and educated, and that it should always be like that because, like he states, black history is American history. This is also important because Freeman is a prominent figure in the African-American community, and he especially is a person who is celebrated heavily in Black History Month. Freeman’s words are strong and gives the filmmaker a strong argument for his message. The Filmmaker again uses ethos when he meets Dr. Sidanus of Harvard University, (24:00). During this conversation, visual and audio tracks are used with dialogue, establishing shots,long shots, and medium shots. Dr. Sidanus supports the idea of not having a Black History Month. He talks about how black history …show more content…
An example from the film that demonstrates this message is in the visual and audio tracks, when the filmmaker gives the background of Black History Month. (11:00). This is significant because the filmmaker shows when and why Black History Month began and why it was important. He goes into detail about Carter G. Woodson, the man behind Negro Week, who fought his whole life for recognition of African-Americans. The filmmaker also talks about how President Nixon expanded Negro Week into Black History Month. This background perfectly sets up the director’s message because it shows how black history has grown, and how it can be much deeper and more than just a month. Logos also is used when the filmmaker and Dr. Sidanus review the results of a self esteem survey regarding Black History Month. (27:30). The survey results show that people aren’t really affected by the celebration of black history, and Black History Month doesn’t have a bad nor good effect on
Carter G Woodson is amongst many well known African Americans in History. Woodson was an African American writer and historian known as “ The Father of Black history month”. He dedicated himself to the field of African-American history, working to make sure that the subject was taught in schools and studied by scholars. He was the author of more than thirty books, his best known book was The Miseducation of the negro, published in 1933 and is still relevant today. He also founded the Association for the study of African American Life and History, the mission was to promote, research, and share information about Black life, history and culture to the global community.
Shirley Chisholm made a significant change in the U.S. government and should be celebrated during Black History Month. Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 30 1924. Out of the 4 sisters Chisholm was the oldest. The parents of Chisholm were Charles St. Hill and Ruby Seal St. Hill.
Growing up in a prominently white family with very little diversity aside from some cousins with Bolivian, Chinese, and Vietnamese backgrounds, I can’t say I grew up with really any black culture. I went to schools that were evidently white and then was taught history only made by white Americans. The only time we ever discussed the crucial past of black history was in February during Black History Month. How can we segregate black and white history when black history is American history?
The Swedish documentary, Black Mixtape, traces race relations in the United States from 1967-1975. The captivating documentary includes appearances by popular African American figures like Civil Rights activist Stokely Carmichael, Black Panther Party founders Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. The purpose of the documentary is to show America in a different viewpoint than how it is portrayed internationally. Due to the Swedish dialect throughout the film, it is evident that there isn’t a specified audience. Black Americans have struggled to obtain equality and justice in this country for decades.
Opening her speech, Winfrey recounts the time in 1964, when she was a little girl and witnessed the moment the first black man, Sidney Poitier, won an Oscar. She narrates that she has attempted to describe what the moment “means to a little girl” that grew up unfortunate and poor like she did. Winfrey’s obvious emotion in that story is moving and influences the celebrities in the audience and also the viewers streaming the award show. By sharing her story of witnessing Poitier winning, Winfrey highlights how the event was very influential on her as a little girl and conveys to the audience that representation in media can be very significant and powerful for a person. Not only does the emotion in the speech emphasize the importance of representation, but the anecdote bolsters Winfrey’s credibility.
Segregation also followed the blacked soldiers into their lives in the military, they faced unfair wages, not allowed to fight in battles, and much more. One of the greatest movies released that
This month tells you a little bit more about black creators and writers. In July of 1777, Vermont became the first colony to ban slavery. To add, the civil rights act made it illegal for black people to be denied service based on race, color, and religion or face segregation. Was Morgan Freeman at fault for saying that he thinks Black History Month is ridiculous, by saying this people are calling him an Uncle Tom. Freeman’s is saying that Black History Month is ridiculous.
One reason why black history should be recognized all year is that it is an integral part of American history and
Black people have even considered this celebratory month disrespectful to their culture. Feeling as if one month of the year given to black people does not justify all of the suffering black people endured for decades. Even though Black History Month offers recognition and prompts schools to take time for black history, it does not offer the time it deserves. First of all, it gives the much-deserved recognition that black people have
Black History Month has been celebrated in one fashion or another since 1926. Carter G. Woodson is known as the founder of Black History Week which has grown to become a month long celebration. Typically we focus on the civic, athletic, and educational achievements of African Americans. Rarely do we focus on the commercial success of African American business owners in this country.
One of these events is the Annual Black Film Festival, for which the library inaugurated the 27th installment on February 2nd. Every Tuesday of the month, a movie screening takes place in the library auditorium, addressing some of the issues faced by the African American population and centered around the black community. A wide variety of activities is also set to take place, such as poetry readings, musical presentations and lectures from authors and screenwriters. The movie of the night was a Spike Lee motion picture called “Chi-raq”, a film that caused commotion and controversy regarding its name.
The Famous Black History Person that I had chosen was Frederick Douglass he has two autobiography about his traditions and how a slave can feel. Frederick Douglass had been a slave and had escaped from his White master and had been on a tour to somewhere else to get as far away from his owner that would probably recapture him. Frederick Douglass is American hero in Black History month. Frederick Douglass was a slave which his whole family was slaves too such as his mother. Famous Frederick Douglass had been a slave since his mom was a slave too and Frederick Augustus Douglass is an American leader of nineteenth century.
One quote that stuck out throughout the film was spoken by American lawyer, Bryan Stevenson. He said, “the Bureau of Justice reported that one in three young black males is expected to go to jail or prison during his lifetime” (37:15). As someone who studies this topic as a profession, it makes his statements more profound to the viewers. With the addition of pathos and logos, ethos effectively persuades the audience with an effective
Black history is an essential aspect of American history that has been overlooked and underrepresented in mainstream education. It refers to the contributions, struggles, and triumphs of the African American community throughout history. This paper discusses what Black history means to me and how it has shaped my perspective on race and identity. One of the essential aspects of Black history that resonates with me is the resilience of my ancestors who endured centuries of enslavement, discrimination, segregation, and violence. This legacy of resilience has inspired me to persevere in the face of adversity and to work towards creating a more just and equitable society for all.
In the 1940s, about 10 years prior to Woodson’s death, the state of West Virginia began celebrating Negro History Month. Nearly 20 years later, Midwestern cities would follow suit with creating opportunities to expand the celebration for the entire month of February. Chicago, Illinois cultural activist Frederic H. Hammurabi helped to organize the Negro History Month and began incorporating themes from African history in the celebration. The Black United Students at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio organized one of the first Black History Month celebrations on a college campus in February 1969. Seven years later, 1976, in celebration of the United States Bicentennial President Gerald Ford recognized the need to honor the accomplishments of African Americans.