It is only fitting that African Americans get a month of recognition for the hundreds of years of challenges they have overcome.  Recognized annually since 1926 as Negro History Week, this period of African American appreciation transformed into Black History Month fifty years later. 

Sparking a small bit of controversy since its beginning, there are those who still question the equality in a Black History Month.  Freshman Craig Crawley believes, “In a way it’s kind of unfair because there is no white history month.  A white history month would just balance it out, so it wouldn’t be that segregated.”  Junior Trey Justice’s feelings on the subject are similar. Justice believes, “It’s wrong that there is an everything BUT white history month. If equality is the goal here, then it should be equal.” To this proposition, several points may be raised.

First of all it is not that the Caucasian race has not achieved anything, because that is certainly not the case.  It is just that the African American race has successfully overcome so many trials and tribulations.　

There are others that hold a point of view all of their own, such as Junior Justin Snowden. Justin has concluded it would be best to discontinue all history months. “There shouldn’t be a month designated to a certain race. If African Americans feel they want true equality with the rest of America, then there shouldn’t be a month for that certain race.” But he doesn’t find recognition of achievements such a bad idea. “Maybe a certain day out of the year would be a bit more practical, but an entire month is a bit excessive.”

Junior Forrest Deans questions the practicality of a White History Month, “I don’t think it’s necessary.  I mean we learn about a bunch of white guys all the time anyway.  Is it really needed?”

The fact is Whites have not had hundreds of years of segregation to get past, and the Caucasian race as a whole has never been enslaved.  Yet every February when Black History Month rolls around a fuss arises over why the creation of White History Month is out of the question.

The reason is simple- every month is treated as white history month, especially here in the South.

The point in setting February aside as Black History Month is to appreciate the challenges the African American race has overcome, which also explains why there are so many other months set aside for racial appreciation. 

Put simply, the Caucasian race has not had any great troubles to overcome so far that other races have not also experienced.  There has been no institutional discrimination against the white race.  Therefore there is no great triumph over segregation that would merit a full month of recognition.

Although he believes in the theory of white history month, Trey Justice put it best when he said, “It is good to recognize ALL races and their contributions to history,” which is something everyone should be able to agree on.