“We want to reach a time when there won’t be Black History Month, when black history will be so integrated into American history that we study it along with every other history,” she said in an interview from her home in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Wednesday. “That’s the hope, and we have to continue to work until that is true, until that becomes a fact.”

In the meantime, she said, she will continue to put the history out there.

Angelou is hosting an hour-long syndicated radio special on the civil rights era that will air throughout this month on about 200 public radio stations across the country. Her special features Grammy award-winning singer Mary J. Blige, Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, economist and Bennett College President Julianne Malveaux, and professor Nikky Finney, winner of the 2011 National Book Award for poetry.

See our Black History GAME CHANGERS for 2012 HERE!

Angelou, 83, said she hopes the program sends a message that “the work of making our country more than it is today” is unfinished.

“Our work still remains and we have to do the best we can do,” she said. “The young people have a charge to keep, they have responsibility and some don’t know that, or maybe some have heard it but don’t recognize it.”

The program details Lewis’ work as a Freedom Rider, Finney’s tribute to late civil rights activist Rosa Parks, Young’s rise from small-town pastor to ambassador and Malveaux’s involvement with the Black Panther movement in her youth.

The work and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. are also discussed in detail. Angelou, who vocally denounced a truncated inscription of a King quote at his new memorial in Washington as taking the slain leader’s words out of context, said she was pleased to hear it will be changed by the National Park Service.

That decision, she said, showed that the park service had “the courage to say, ‘Hmm, thank you for correcting me.’”

“The artists the sculptor and the architect had the right to put on their work what they wanted to place,” Angelou said. “I am a friend of Martin Luther King and a mentee and so I had the right to say what I thought. That’s all. And I’m glad that it will be rearranged.”

Blige, younger than Angelou’s other guests, speaks of how she was inspired by female civil rights figures Coretta Scott King, Ruby Dee and Angelou herself.

“She’s just as charming as I would wish for a daughter of mine to be and just as dedicated to her field, and to be the best she can be,” Angelou said of the singer. “Young people fascinate me, so I try to stay in current with what they’re doing and what they’re saying.”

Angelou, who has authored more than 30 books and earned three Grammys for the spoken word, recently was presented with the BET Honors Literary Arts Award by first lady Michelle Obama and entertainers Cicely Tyson, Queen Latifah, Jill Scott and Willow Smith. The awards show will air on Black Entertainment Television on Feb. 13.

“My heart almost burst when Mrs. Obama came out and spoke so highly of my work and what it had meant to her and President Obama over the years,” Angelou said.

The famed poet also quelled controversy after she expressed her disappointment in rapper Common using profanity, namely the n-word, and the b-word in reference to women, on his current album released in December, which features Angelou on the intro “The Dreamer.”

Angelou says she doesn’t support use of those words, but she still respects the rapper.

“I said I’m disappointed, but on the other hand, he’s a fine artist and a good man as far as I can see,” she said.

“So he uses the word this week. Maybe next week he won’t, and I’ll be smiling widely.”

See our Black History GAME CHANGERS for 2012 HERE!

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will mark Black History Month at the White House with a celebration of Motown music.

The White House says performers will include Smokey Robinson, Sheryl Crow and John Legend. The Feb. 24 event will be taped and broadcast on PBS March 1.

The Motown event is the latest in the music series “In Performance at the White House.” The Obamas have hosted musical tributes to several genres, including jazz, country and Broadway. Mrs. Obama often hosts daytime programs for students to educate them about the genres and encourage involvement in the arts.

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African American writer, educator, and activist Dr. Maya Angelou is scheduled to host her first-ever public radio program in honor of this year’s Black History Month. The program, called ‘A Black History Month Special’ will be broadcast free of charge on all Public Radio affiliated stations.

Intimate and provocative stories, poems and conversations will illuminate African American history including comedy, film and family life, rounding out the hour with memories of “mother and sister friend,” the late civil rights activist Dorothy Height. The producer of the show is RCW Media Productions.

On comedy Maya Angelou observes, “Often in the black culture it is said, we laughed to keep from crying.” Joined by comedian Chris Rock, they discuss Rock’s childhood in Brooklyn, rise to Saturday Night Live and his view on comedy. As Rock defines the comic currents of our time, Maya Angelou offers historical perspective, reflecting on the 1930′s and 1940′s including Dusty Fletcher’s “Open the Door Richard” and the brilliance of early comedians who literally set the stage for African American comedy.

A film director in her own right of Down in the Delta (1988), Angelou explores African American films with a focus on the work of director Lee Daniels. Daniels and Angelou discuss the success of his movie “Precious” and how work from this filmmaker can impact and change dialogue in American Culture.

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Black History Month comes around every February; and every year, the media provide you countless commemorations, celebrations and presentations.

But it’s your history; shouldn’t you decide how to celebrate it?

BlackPlanet is giving its members a unique opportunity to design their own Black History Month campaign.  We want to celebrate the month your way.  Be as creative as you want to be—suggest a way to honor our rich history through a online or live event.

Just click the link here before October 15 to get started.

Black people are diverse and unique all over the world. We speak different languages, believe in different faiths, and have completely different outlooks on life.

Attributing a single characteristic to the Black race as a whole can be as inaccurate as attributing one characteristic to the entire human race; whereas living, loving, and dying are possibly the only three that extend to the entire human race.

I have compiled a list of 10 things that unite, but don’t define Black people as a race.

1.    Pride

Black pride is the appreciation for the past, the present, and future of the people. It isn’t discretely defined as celebrating Black History Month or knowing Black history. It’s the lifestyle that many live day-to-day or even the appreciation and support of their race. Just as pride for your country or profession bring people together, the pride of accomplishments bring Black people together.

2.    Soul

The irony of the word “soul” is that hundreds of years ago it was taught that Black people didn’t have souls. Today, Black people define the word “soul.”  Many black people embody a phenomena many people can’t explain or emulate, but can recognize and feel when they see it, hear it, or experience it in any form. I must point out, not all black people have soul, and the lack thereof does not make them less black. Call it soul, swagger, or charisma; Black people possess this quality that originates from the Black experience.

3.    Pain

Whether you are Black, White, Asian, or Hispanic, funerals bring the family together as death unexpectedly unites people. We are united by different histories of pain. Historians typically desensitize and de-personify tragic events by describing people as merely numbers. Thousands of slaves were captured, thousands of Jews were killed. It all boils down to the fact that thousands of people like you, me, or your family were killed. That’s pain that unites.

4.    Success

Whether you are a high school graduate or president of a corporation, you will most likely gravitate to people who share your accomplishments. There are many levels of success black people attain, and on every level of your climb to success, you will unite with those who aspire to your level of success.

5.   Aspirations For The Future

Sometimes we get caught in defining Black culture as what has happened in the past, when we should be looking to the future. Black people are always looking towards the future. A few years ago, many aspired to be the first black president, or even thinking of changing society so that it would be better for their own children.

The list continues after the gallery

Take a look at the Top 10 That Unite Black People gallery:
The Top Things That Unite Black People

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6.    Welcoming of The Unknown

Black people have historically been a welcoming, xenophellic people. A race that is open to new cultures, people and trends. Black people extend their families by inviting people to be god-parents or fictive kin (pretend aunts, uncles, and others who are close to their family). The ability to adapt and welcome people allows Black people to understand others who are different and have compassion for Blacks they might not personally know.

7.    Religion

Religion brings millions of black people together. The Christian and Islamic faiths account for a majority of the religious populations in the world. It is a foundation in most societies and probably unites Black communities the most.

8.    Origin

No matter where you go, you can appreciate meeting someone from your hometown or country. Many Black people will travel to a distant state or country for a family reunion or cultural parade.  I know many people in college who picked their school because it was far away from their hometown. Ironically, when they arrived to college, they mainly befriended people from their own hometown.

9.    Art

Black artistic expression has influenced music, movies, and American culture itself. Black art connects people’s mind’s, bodies and soul; for example, it has created music sub-cultures like Reggae, Hip-Hop, R&B, Rap, Soca, Jazz, and Soul.

10.    Dialect

How we speak and what language we speak connects people. Black people speak all types of languages and have many unique accents. While there is no such thing as “talking Black,” there are certain mannerisms, accents, and voice tone sounds that are unique to Black peoples’ heritage and origin.

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LOS ANGELES – Three Los Angeles elementary school teachers accused of giving children portraits of O.J. Simpson, Dennis Rodman and RuPaul to carry in a Black History Month parade have been removed from their classrooms, a school district spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Children from other classes at the school displayed photos of more appropriate black role models, such as Nelson Mandela, Harriet Tubman and President Barack Obama, Los Angeles Unified School District spokeswoman Gayle Pollard-Terry said.

The incident occurred Friday at Wadsworth Avenue Elementary School in South Los Angeles, where the student body is more than 90 percent Latino.

District Superintendent Ramon Cortines placed the teachers — all white men who teach first, second and fourth grades — on administrative leave on Tuesday while an investigation is conducted, Pollard-Terry said.

“The superintendent will not let anyone make a mockery out of Black History Month,” she said.

The issue was brought to district officials’ attention by the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP after the organization received a complaint early Monday, chapter President Leon Jenkins said.

Jenkins said he felt the teachers acted in concert to mock black heroes and children’s innocence.

“These are not the people we want our young people to emulate or believe these people represent the best of the African-American community,” Jenkins said. “It’s hard for the NAACP to believe this was a mistake.”

Simpson, a former NFL star, is serving a nine-year prison sentence for robbery and kidnapping. He was famously acquitted in 1995 of murdering his ex-wife and her friend.

RuPaul is a drag queen performer. Rodman, a former NBA star, has gained notoriety for bad boy behavior on and off the basketball court.

Some parents at the school on Wednesday said the issue was overblown.

Sharon Tinson, who has two daughters at the school and attended Friday’s celebration, said she had been surprised to see Simpson displayed in the parade. But she noted that Simpson, like Rodman, was a great athlete before falling from grace. RuPaul simply has an alternative lifestyle, she added.

She noted the event also included a tribute to pop singer Michael Jackson, who has also had a checkered career.

“I kind of laughed at it,” Tinson said. “I wasn’t offended.”

Gabriel Blackson, whose son attends the school, said he also took a larger view of the ruckus.

“These guys were heroes before. People make mistakes,” he said. “I think they show kids they can be somebody, to push them to be somebody.”

Jenkins said he is calling for the teachers to be fired.

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As Black History Month comes to an end, it is important that we remember the African-Americans who fought and died for America during its many wars. Few people know that the man credited to be the first one to die in the Revolutionary War was a Black man by the name of Crispus Attucks. During the War of 1812, Black soldiers helped defeat the British in New Orleans.

By the end of the Civil War, 10% of the union forces were Black. The 54th regiment, which was an all Black fighting unit, was immortalized in the movie “Glory” and fought a number of important battles, eventually losing more than half of their troops. Two of Frederick Douglass’s sons also fought in the Civil War and Harriet Tubman severed as a scout for the 2nd South Carolina Volunteers.

During World War I, Black soldiers were given full citizenship, although they still fought in segregated units. Many credit Black soldiers for bringing Jazz music to Europe and France.

In World War II, Black soldiers had an increased presence. The NAACP pushed for the War Department to form the all-black 99th Pursuit Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Corps, otherwise known as the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee airmen were the only U.S. unit to sink a German destroyer. Like the 54th Regiment, the Tuskegee Airmen were immortalized in a movie of the same name.

The Marines first opened themselves to Black volunteers in 1942. To the dismay of the Marines only 63 African Americans joined.

Black officer, Lieutenant Colonel Campbell C. Johnson, decided that he would actively recruit Black Marines. Due to his efforts African Americans began joining the Marines at a rate of more than 1,000 a month in 1943.

Despite the opposition to the Vietnam war from Black leaders and athletes like Martin Luther King and Muhammad Ali, many Black soldiers both volunteered and were drafted to fight in the Vietnam war. Colin Powell joined the ROTC at City College and would go on to be a Captain in Vietnam, later becoming a major. Powell would go on to be National Security Adviser (1987–1989), Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Army Forces Command (1989) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993) and eventually as Secretary of State for George W. Bush in 2001.

Another Black Vietnam veteran who would go on to success was Col. Charles F. Bolden. After graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1968, he became a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, flying over 100 sorties in Vietnam. Bolden’s flying skills made him an ideal candidate for NASA, which he joined as an astronaut in 1981. After a long and impressive career as an astronaut, President Barack Obama name Bolden the head of NASA.

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The University of California, San Diego has halted funding for student media after a TV segment ridiculed black students outraged by a party mocking Black History Month.

The head of the campus Associated Students froze funding for 33 media outlets after one outlet, The Koala, ran a student TV episode last week calling black students ungrateful and using a derogatory term for blacks.

Associated Students President Utsav Gupta says he wants a timeout until the campus can craft a new policy on student-funded media.

The Koala, which has a reputation for airing offensive material, made fun of reaction to an off-campus fraternity party this month. The “Compton Cookout” urged partygoers to dress as ghetto stereotypes to commemorate Black History Month.

Here’s What The Koala Said On Their Website

The Koala would like to condemn the organizers of the Compton Cookout. If history has shown us anything, you need more black people at your party to have enough black-on-black violence to actually justify the name “Compton.” Shame on you. SHAME.

Here’s a Koala Member’s Apology

“I offer my apologies,” said Wes Field, a second year student at UCSD and an editor with the Koala. “Like, I don’t stand behind statements that were made and I understand why the outrage. Like, I get it.”

Field is disgusted with the action’s of Kris Gregorian, the Koala’s editor.”We run a show,” Field explained to San Diego 6. “We do it every Thursday night and it’s basically just a talk show.”

But there was nothing basic about last Thursday’s edition. That’s when Field says Gregorian went in front of the camera and said, “You should be thankful you ungrateful n******.”

The NAACP Addressed The Issue

Earlier today, the NAACP joined a chorus of university officials, students and legislators who have condemned the party.

“This event was intended and did expose the true feeling of a group of people, who either are racist, who acted out their beliefs, or people who say they are not racist, but engaged in acts that were racist,” said Leon Jenkins, president of the Los Angeles branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The NAACP maintains that if the university does not sanction those involved, it will “send a less than clear message that such future reckless or intentional behavior will not be tolerated, which may embolden the perpetrators, and future perpetrators’ beliefs that they will not suffer any serious consequences concerning acts of discrimination and racism, which may cause such actors to act out their racist tendencies in the future.”

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From KTLA

SAN DIEGO — Officials at UC San Diego are condemning a ghetto-themed party organized by fraternity students to mock Black History Month.

A Facebook posting advertising Monday’s ‘Compton Cookout’ invited people to a condominium complex off-campus.

The invitation urged all participants to wear chains, rapper-style urban clothing by makers such as FUBU and speak very loudly.

Female participants were encouraged to be “ghetto chicks” with gold teeth, cheap clothes and “short, nappy hair.”

The invitation said the party would serve watermelon, chicken, malt liquor, cheap beer and a purple sugar-water concoction called “dat Purple Drank.”

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Read The Invitation To The “Compton Cook Out,” As Posted On Facebook:

“February marks a very important month in American society. No, i’m not referring to Valentines day or Presidents day. I’m talking about Black History month. As a time to celebrate and in hopes of showing respect, the Regents community cordially invites you to its very first Compton Cookout.

For guys: I expect all males to be rockin Jersey’s, stuntin’ up in ya White T (XXXL smallest size acceptable), anything FUBU, Ecko, Rockawear, High/low top Jordans or Dunks, Chains, Jorts, stunner shades, 59 50 hats, Tats, etc.

For girls: For those of you who are unfamiliar with ghetto chicks-Ghetto chicks usually have gold teeth, start fights and drama, and wear cheap clothes – they consider Baby Phat to be high class and expensive couture. They also have short, nappy hair, and usually wear cheap weave, usually in bad colors, such as purple or bright red. They look and act similar to Shenaynay, and speak very loudly, while rolling their neck, and waving their finger in your face. Ghetto chicks have a very limited vocabulary, and attempt to make up for it, by forming new words, such as “constipulated”, or simply cursing persistently, or using other types of vulgarities, and making noises, such as “hmmg!”, or smacking their lips, and making other angry noises,grunts, and faces. The objective is for all you lovely ladies to look, act, and essentially take on these “respectable” qualities throughout the day.

Several of the regents condos will be teaming up to house this monstrosity, so travel house to house and experience the various elements of life in the ghetto.

We will be serving 40′s, Kegs of Natty, dat Purple Drank- which consists of sugar, water, and the color purple , chicken, coolade, and of course Watermelon. So come one and come all, make ya self before we break ya self, keep strapped, get yo shine on, and join us for a day party to be remembered- or not. “

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From The Root:

It’s Black History Month yet again. With several years of university teaching under my belt, I’ve begun to wonder what black history my students have actually learned during this month or any month before entering college. It’s clear the students know a version of black history that moves rather quickly from slavery to Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement to the election of Barack Obama.

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They describe black history with words, such as “real,” “struggle,” and “overcoming.” “Real” captures the racial authenticity that privileges those stories, which emphasize the ways in which black people have fought back against an oppressive system through invention, revolution, and political activism. What the students have learned seems to suggest that a history of the black experience documents how black Americans have “kept it real” in spite of racism.

After numerous classroom discussions, I’ve come to understand that though this “real” history is important, it overshadows the moments where resistance and activism are not obvious concerns. There is a black history that exists outside of the “real” story. Here, I am reminded of 18th century poet, Phillis Wheatley whose poems possess no apparent literary activism. Her well-formed elegies barely discuss slavery and certainly do not seem to oppose its practice. Before we place her outside of black history or chastise her lack of racial consciousness, we must recognize that Wheatley may offer an alternative story. Let’s assume that Wheatley’s intention was not to inaugurate this “real” history. Let’s concede that Wheatley does not keep real the narrative of struggle and resistance that has become synonymous with blackness.

Click here to read more.

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From the Huffington Post:

In honor of Black History Month, the NBC cafeteria served fried chicken, collared greens, and jalapeno cornbread today for lunch. The picture below was snapped by Questlove, the drummer for the Roots–Jimmy Fallon’s house band. He was also the musician that pointed out via Twitter that Conan spent half a million dollars on a walk-out song for Tom Hanks during his last episode.

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Someone tweeting under the name @nbcu (which, as of now, only has 8 followers) is claiming to and be NBC’s VP of Communications, Kevin Goldman. The first and only tweet says: “The sign in the NBCU cafeteria has been removed. We apologize for anyone who was offended by it.”‘

Click here to read more.

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Celebrate BLACK HISTORY MONTH With NewsOne!

OPINION: Why We Still Need Black History Month

Every February, people throughout the country take 28 days to learn about, remember, and celebrate the contributions of Black people in American society. During the more than four centuries that have passed since this nation took its first steps toward existence, people of African descent have been an integral part of the American story, playing key roles in the political, cultural, and scientific progress we’ve enjoyed thus far.

Black History Month began as “Negro History Week,” which historian Carter G. Woodson opted to observe in the second week of February because of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’s birthdays (Feb. 12 and Feb. 14, respectively). It was expanded into a full month in 1976.

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At NewsOne this month, we’ll celebrate Black achievement with profiles of historical figures, photo galleries exploring pivotal years in modern Black history, trivia quizzes, original pieces on the many facets of our history, and more. Be sure to check back often for all the Black History Month coverage you need!

A final note: Over the years, there has been much debate over whether Black History Month is necessary, and whether its existence is counterproductive to recognizing “Black” history as simply American. This month at NewsOne, even as we celebrate, we plan to explore and engage with those criticisms as well. We hope you’ll join the conversation and share your own opinions with us in the comments.

HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH FROM NEWSONE.COM!!

Silver Spring, MD – This February, TV One will take a look back at dramatic, musical, and comedic portrayals of African American life from the 70s, 80s and early 90s during their “Way Black When” celebration of Black History Month.

During primetime each weeknight, TV One will spotlight a variety of black cult classics in film, television, comedy and music, from “The Richard Pryor Show” to “Cleopatra Jones,” with commentary from industry experts including actresses/actors, producers and musical artists who helped create, or were influenced by such celebrated productions.

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During each of the four weeks during February, TV One will focus on one of four genres: Comedy/Variety; Classic Films/Film Soundtracks; Classic Sitcoms, and Blaxploitation Movies.

“The manner in which our culture has been portrayed in film and television provides an interesting and provocative lens through which to view our history over the past 40 years,” said TV One Senior Vice President of Original Programming Toni Judkins. “With the help of a number of the actors, comedians, producers and directors involved, we not only want to spotlight that programming, but tell a story about how it relates to where our culture and society are today.”

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BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) – A school for kindergartners through second-graders in a comfortable Philadelphia suburb has become the latest target of accusations by conservatives that schoolchildren are being indoctrinated to idolize President Barack Obama.

The controversy grows out of a school assembly during Black History Month in February, when gripes about the freshly inaugurated president were still mostly hushed.

That month, a group of smiley and fidgety students at B. Bernice Young School sang a medley of two short songs praising the president.

The first song begins, “Mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack Hussein Obama/He said that all must lend a hand/To make this country strong again.”

The second one was set to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and included the refrain, “Hooray, Mr. President.”

While the performance is seven months old, the outrage is new and came about because of the discovery of a YouTube video.

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It’s been fodder for conservative opinion leaders such as columnist and blogger Michelle Malkin and Fox News Channel host Glenn Beck.

The notion that schoolchildren are being subjected to partisan politics rather than taught civics emerged earlier this month before an Obama speech to students was played in thousands of schools.

By then, unlike February, there was broader mistrust of Obama, particularly over his health insurance overhaul plans. Concerns that he would use his speech to students as a political tool grew partly because the White House initially released a lesson plan encouraging students to “help the president.”

The plan was revised and the message to students was not overtly political.

News about the song brought a quick response from New Jersey’s Department of Education.

Spokeswoman Beth Auerswald said the department wants “to ensure students can celebrate the achievements of African Americans during Black History Month without inappropriate partisan politics in the classroom.”

Auerswald said the state would also look into whether posting the video online violated the privacy of students.

Superintendent Christopher Manno defended the performance in Friday’s editions of the Burlington County Times.

“There was no intention to indoctrinate children,” he said. “The teacher’s intention was to engage the children in an activity to recognize famous and accomplished African Americans.”

He said he would not identify the teacher who led the song. State education officials said she retired at the end of the last school year.

The source of the video is not entirely clear. In Malkin’s column, she said it was posted in June on the YouTube channel of author Charisse Carney-Nunes, who wrote the children’s book “I Am Barack Obama.”

The song medley was presented to Carney-Nunes, who had been invited to the school, as a demonstration of a project the children had put together, her public relations firm said in a statement.
“Charisse feels it is unfortunate that an event put together with sincere intentions to encourage literacy while celebrating the contributions of African Americans to our great nation has become political fodder and hopes cooler heads will prevail,” the hoverFly media statement said.

The video was ubiquitous online Friday but was not listed under Carney-Nunes’ feed.
Officials at the Burlington Township Board of Education did not return calls Friday to discuss the incident or how much public response it received, and the district’s Web site was not available.

Leslie Gibson, the mother of a kindergartner and a second-grader, said the incident was not addressed in Thursday evening’s back-to-school assembly.

Gibson said that while parents had different views about how problematic the song may have been, one thing was unanimous: They don’t like having television trucks and reporters camped out on the streets near the school.

Friday afternoon, there were two police cars posted outside the building.

There wasn’t much protest, though. One man, Chris Concannon, from nearby Magnolia, was outside hoping to speak with school officials about what happened.

“It’s just like the Hitler Youth all over again,” said Concannon, an unemployed 26-year-old former National Guardsman. “They should be learning history, but instead they’re being taught to worship the president.”