Black History Month Blog

I am disappointed at the selections for the Black History Month Films tonight. Black History Month is a time for peoples of all ethnicities to learn about societal contributions from peoples of African descent.Hip hop's creative force was birthed out of the innovative nature of African peoples , but I do not consider "Get Rich or Die Trying" and "Fade to Black" as black history films. If the topic of choice is hip hop then a film documenting its origins, founders, and original intent should be shown. I know these films are just a part of the monthly celebration of black history , but I hope more consideration is applied when choosing films to label as "black history" in the future.

I think that playing this movie was a disrespect to the African American History. That for black history month out of every single movie made to portray teh struggle of our people we decide to show the movie "Get rich or die trying". I thing that was an incorrect method of starting the first weekend of black history off. This movie was inappropriate for the celebration of our people.I just am diappointed at VCU at the authorization of such a movie at this time. Why Black history month do we have to portray selling drugs and making money.Why? Well it has been shown but i feel it needs to be addressed and realized that it made our celebration look like a joke.

Though pop culture has its place in history, the decision to feature movies about hip hop artists to commence the celebration of Black History Month was a misstep. Perhaps those who organized VCU's Black History celebration activities were misinformed about what African Americans want to feature as having historical significance and meaning to our culture. Maybe these event organizers are operating from an assumption that young African Americans no longer seek leaders that can offer guidance of how to build stronger communities and neighborhoods and model success attained through patience, dedication and perseverance. Instead, there seems to be an impression that the young -- including university students-- would prefer to idolize and aggrandize the quick and easy path of notoriety depicted in hip hop culture.
I would offer that such assumptions are erroneous. The need to remember our heroes of yesterday is great, particularly as we mourn the loss of Coretta Scott King, and last year, Rosa Parks. It is critical that African Americans take this opportunity to reflect on the past that paved the way to the present. Though this discussion maybe couched in terms of movies and entertainment, I urge you to look to the deeper considerations of what messages we're sending to our own people. Moreover, what are we conveying to others about what is truly important to African Americans and our values and beliefs systems? The African American struggle to achieve the civil rights and liberties granted under this nation's constitution have been well chronicled in films and documentaries for 4 decades. Celebrating the success of this struggle and its leaders is paramount to sustaining the richness of our heritage, and remembering the tribulations of our forefathers, on whose shoulders we stand.