With the recent comments made by Morgan Freeman, it is very important that organizers, organizations, educators and supporters of the Black Liberation struggle, not only use African Heritage Month to reach our people, but every chance available. Black People must continuously counter, the Counter Intelligence Program!

Morgan Freeman is correct: our heritage should not be regulated to one month and it isn’t. Black people were not “given” the shortest month of the year to celebrate their legacy. Dr. Carter G. Woodson chose a time for Black people to honour, acknowledge, learn and be proud of their beautiful legacy and culture.

Celebrating African

Back then it was called Negro History Week, which later became Black History Month and is now commonly referred to as African Heritage Month. There are also many other months and days in which Black people have to celebrate their African culture.

May is African Liberation Month . On May 2nd was the kidnapping and capture of Assata Shakur, Sundiata Acoli & assassination of Zayd Shakur. During this month there is the birthday (May 19th) of the shinning Black Prince, El Hajj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X). On May 25 th 1963 the O.A.U., Organization for African Unity (now known as the African Union) was formed. This day is honored and commemorated every year as African Liberation Day on the last Saturday of the month of May.

August is acknowledged as Black August. During this month the legacy of resistance to white supremacy and slavery is honoured. On August 2, 1850 the Underground Railroad was started. August 8th , 1978 the House of the organization MOVE was bombed by the city of Philadelphia.

On August 17th the birthday of the Honourable Marcus Garvey is celebrated. The “Nat Turner Rebellion” began on August 21 st 1831. August 30th, 1800 marks the anniversary of the rebellion lead by Gabriel Prosser.

Kwanzaa Bonanza!

There is also the week of Kwanzaa, December 26th – January 1st . At this time, African people world wide practice, celebrate and incorporate the Nguzo Saba (seven principles) into their daily lives. Those principles are: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work & responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) & Imani (faith).

In addition to the above mentioned days and months, there is also Martin Luther King Day which is January 15th, Juneteenth which is celebrated on June 19th and many more which neither time nor space will allow. These days are all days set aside by Black People for Black People, just as African Heritage Month was.

Black Peoples’ holy days do not have to be acknowledged or supported by mainstream America in order for them to have significance. This is why a “Black History Month” had to be created in the first place. White America did not (and still does not) want to recognize the contributions of African People.

Celebrate Black Heritage

White America celebrates its history and culture throughout the entire year; this is why there is no “white history month”. St. Patrick’s Day, Valentines Day, Columbus Day and Presidents’ Day are all aspects of European culture.

Mainstream America cannot define for African People when or how we will celebrate our heritage. African People have a great and mighty legacy that is honoured and celebrated throughout the year.

These moments must be used to mobilize and organize Black People toward self-determination, self-respect, self-defense and full and complete reparations. One cannot expect white America to recognize, support or endorse our culture. As the great poet Gil Scott Heron stated, “The revolution will not be televised.”

Along with the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) and the seven days of Kwanzaa, there are seven symbols or implements that are used in the celebration of the holiday…

These seven items are arraigned in an area set up as a Kwanzaa altar or table in the home.

The seven symbols of Kwanzaa are:

Mkeka (m-KAY-kah): The Mat

A mat woven of fabric, raffia, or even paper. The Mkeka is important because the other holiday implements rest upon it.

Symbolizes the experiences, culture, achievements and sacrifices of our ancestors upon which our lives are built.

Kikombe cha Umoja (kee-KOHM-bay cha oo-MOH-jah): The Unity Cup

Representing family and community unity. When the Unity cup filled with water, juice, or wine, a little bit is poured out as reminder and respect for our ancestors. The cup is then passed around and shared with those gathered, with each person taking a sip.

Mazao (mah-ZAH-oh): The Crops

The fruits and vegetables that are the result of the harvest. Bananas, mangoes, peaches, plantains, oranges, or whatever might be the family favourites. The Mazao are placed on the Mkeka and are shared and eaten to honor the work of the people it took to grow them.

Kinara (kee-NAH-rah): The Candleholder

Representing our African ancestors, the Kinara holds the seven candles that symbolize the Nguzo Saba. The Kinara is placed on the Mkeka and holds the Mishumaa Saba (the seven candles).

Mishumaa Saba (mee-shoo-MAH SAH-ba): The Seven Candles

Seven candles, representing the seven principles of Nguzo Saba, which are placed in the Kwanzaa Kinara. The colours of the candles are red, green, and black which are the colors of the Bendera (or African Flag).

Muhindi (moo-HEEN-dee): The Corn

Represents the children (and future) of the family. One suke (ear) of corn is placed on the Mkeka for each child in the family. If there are no children in the family one suke is still placed on the Mkeka to symbolize the children of the community.

The Muhindi also represents the Native Americans who were the first inhabitants of the land. Without whom there would be no corn, also known as Maize. It is used as acknowledgment and respect of their contribution to the culture and ancestors of the African American.

Note: A single ear of corn can also be know as Vibunzi. Indian Corn is sometimes used.

Zawadi (zah-WAH-dee): Gifts

Kwanzaa gifts given to children that will make them better people. The gifts should always include a book, video, or other educational item that will educate and inform the child. There should also be a gift know as a “heritage symbol”. Something to remind the child of glory of the past and the promise of the future.

Go on list your top ten reasons why you love being Black!

People of all races love many things about being Black, and they take those things, trying to make them their own, while too many of us look at ourselves with disdain. I believe that Black people need to change our minds about us and begin to embrace the things that are uniquely Black. We have to love those things, while loving ourselves.

Black people in America are a special and wonderful blend of horrible oppression, faith, hope, creativity, spirituality and unresolved issues. No matter how bad things are, we still have what it takes to make it better.

Haven�t we always? Yes, and I love that about us. For all the problems, the ups and downs of being part of the most challenged race on the planet, there is nothing more beautiful than walking, talking and dancing in the sun as Black people. We are the party and everyone wants to attend. It�s time for us to celebrate.

In another Black Top Ten List, I�d like to celebrate the things that are to be loved about being Black.

Top Ten Things To Love About Being Black:-

1] Melanin. The sun loves us. Melanin protects us from the harmful UV rays and when we absorb them, we are in tune and in time with the earth�s rotation and the rhythm of the universe.
Plus, God gave us our own rainbow in the shades of Africans, from light-bright and damn-near white to Blue-Black and every shade in between. God is an artist and we are the canvas.

2] Rhythm, baby. Show me a person who says: �Blacks have natural rhythm� as a putdown and I will show you someone who is jealous because they can�t find the beat. Dance like no one is watching�

3] Resilience, brothers and sisters. There is no other group of people who has the ugly history carried by Black people in America, and yet, we still exist and find a way to party as well as carry on through ugly conditions, making it look beautiful. Maya Angelou said it best: �And still I rise��

4] The Black female physique. Females of other races go through hell and high water, surgery and the risk of cancer in the sun just to imitate what God gave my sisters naturally–lips and hips, skin and hair, rhythm in the talk and walk and sex appeal as deep as Atlantis. Yes, I�m a girl watcher. Here comes one now�

5] The Black man�s walk. It took years of watching my older brothers and cousins before I could walk the walk of a man that still has all eyes on me when I walk into a room. Eventually, it just came to me naturally. There�s a rhythmic swagger of confidence that belongs to my brothers and I and no matter how hard you work to imitate it, you can�t walk it like we can.

6] Black hair. Dreads, braids and fades are just different and artistic on natural Black hair, and even when the sisters lay their hair down with heat or chemicals, it�s still a beautiful and different thing, because no one can rock relaxed hair like Black women. And no one can rock a bald head like a Black man. Am I rockin� it, baby?

7] Resourcefulness. We took the waste products that were tossed to us and made them taste like the food of the Gods. Chitterlings are now a delicacy in France and you can�t keep white folks out of Soul Food restaurants where grits and greens are done just right. And, many of us have stories of a Black mother who stretched nothing out to make it seem like something that a house full of kids could enjoy and have fond memories about for years.

8] Black mothers. Stretching food is nothing compared to the feat of stretching love and making Christmas or a birthday special without one store-bought gift. The original mother of the universe stretched her arms and provided love and comfort for an entire race, even when we don�t feel deserving of love. Why do you think Black kids are the most protective of their mothers?

9] Black dances. Okay, I will brag about the stepping that has emerged from my hometown of Chicago to become a national craze, but not without also bragging about dances from tap to the Boogaloo and Funky chicken to the w** and the Pop Yo� Collar. Dance mechanically by the numbers if you want to, but Britney Spears is still regurgitating old half-warmed Janet Jackson moves from the 1980�s and it ain�t half as fly.

10] Black creativity. Take away school music programs and give us old record collections from previous generations and only Black people could create an entirely new musical style based on our natural rhythms and rhymes. Popular rap music may be mostly ignorant in it�s content, but the beats are still bangin� and the underground is developing new lyrical styles and content. Who�s fresh? African descendants in America, G! Don�t front, you know we got you open.

Now, there are at least ten reasons to celebrate being you. Add to the list on your own. Keep them near and dear to your heart whenever anyone tries to say we are anything but a beautiful people. We may not wear the t-shirts anymore, but I still love being Black!

Darryl James is a syndicated columnist and the author of �Bridging The Black Gender Gap,� which is also the basis of his lectures. James was awarded the 2004 Non-fiction Award for his book on the Los Angeles Riots at the Seventh Annual Black History Month Book Fair and Conference in Chicago. He can be reached at djames@TheBlackGenderGap.com

A white Jesus during Black History Month?
I find it more than a little ironic that during February, Black History Month, we are being bombarded with images of a white Jesus in the trailers for Mel Gibson’s film.

Jesus, the Annointed One (Kristos), was a Jew, a member of the Semitic peoples. The historical record is very clear, unequivocal actually, that 2,000 years ago the Semites were a brown, dark brown or black people with tightly curled to woolly hair. The one phenotype that Jesus the Annointed One (Kristos), or any of the disciples for that matter, would not have been was a Caucasian, a white man.

How are we ever going to come to grips with racism in this country if we continue to deny people of color their historical place? How could white people hate people of color if they were taught Jesus would pass for black if he were to rejoin us today?

Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Mohammed, the founders of the major religious movements, all were people of color.

Isn’t it time we set aside our prejudices and recognize this and start taking the first steps in eliminating racial hatred and bigotry in our society?