Teachers differ in approach to black history
Some local teachers teach African-American history to their students in different ways.
Throughout the month of February, schools, businesses and other organizations across the country have been celebrating Black History Month -- a remembrance of important people and events in African-American history.
John Seal, a history instructor at Fort Scott Community College, said he typically divides the sections of history he teaches into separate components; one of which is Black history that he covers during the month of February.
"Black history should be taught separately," Seal said. "But I don't leave out a complete population. I also teach Native American history and Women's history. I hit on all three."
Seal said the recognition of Black History Month began for his students when the class received a visit from Kendall Reinhardt, one of the members of the Little Rock Nine who integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Reinhardt, who is now a retired banker, spoke to Seal's history class on Jan. 30.
Other important topics and people in black history that Seal discusses with his students include the effects of segregation; the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case, a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court that outlawed racial segregation; and the life of Vernon Johns, an American minister and civil rights leader who was active in the struggle for civil rights for African-Americans starting in the 1920s.
Johns is considered the father of the American Civil Rights Movement, and laid the foundation upon which Martin Luther, King, Jr., a civil rights activist and one of the pivotal leaders of the civil rights movement, and others would build.
Seal said another important and inspirational historical figure that he discusses in the classroom is Crispus Attucks, a black man who was one of the first of five people killed in the Boston Massacre in 1770. Attucks has been called the first martyr of the American Revolution,and has been remembered as a black American who played a heroic role in the history of the United States.
"He was really the first black man to die for freedom," Seal said.
Dustin Strong, an American history teacher at Uniontown Junior Senior High School, said he integrates black history and other important sections of U.S. history into the classroom as he comes upon them by following a historical timeline, rather than teaching them separately.
"I hit on topics as they come up," Strong said. "I don't focus on anything separately. I deal with it when the time period arises. I don't take time out in February to teach black history just because. I teach American history. So without regard to race, color, religion or creed, you're an American, period. And all segments of American society should be included in that (history)."
Some topics that Strong said he addresses in the classroom concerning black history include the Tuskegee airmen, a popular group of African-American pilots who flew during World War II as the 332nd Fighter Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first black U.S. military pilots.
Black History Month, also called African-American History Month or African Heritage Month, was established in 1976 by a group called Afro-Americans for the Study of Afro-American Life and History. Part of the celebration's purpose is to underline the harms of racial prejudice and to cultivate black self-esteem following centuries of socio-economic depression. It is also a time to recognize significant contributions to society made by African-Americans.