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Black History Month

Black History Month

Date: Feb 22 2008

Themes: Holidays, Pop Culture

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Black history is a very important part of American history. But it wasn’t always viewed that way. As African-Americans have struggled for equality, they have also struggled for recognition for those who came before them.

Since African-American history was largely ignored for a long time and not taught in schools, February is national Black History Month. The month serves to make sure that people like Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave and successful author, and Abraham Lincoln, the President who freed the slaves, aren’t forgotten.

Lincoln and Douglass were both born in February, which is how the month was chosen. But lots of other important moments in black history happened in February. Blacks were given the right to vote, and the first black senator was elected in February. It’s also the month that famous militant leader Malcolm X was assassinated.

But black history isn’t all politics. It’s also community. Listen to Devan and Beren talk about how Black History Month can make you think about the history of your neighborhood.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Beren

Beren

Devan

Devan

Beren:  So, uh, February’s Black History Month. I don’t know…Are there lots of events surrounding it? I’m aware, but only because I live in the section of the city where it’s predominantly African-Americans.

Devan:  I just started college so being in school makes you take a lot more note of it than I would normally. We’ve been discussing Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and the whole civil rights movement, but I feel like normal, working people don’t have a lot of exposure to the month and I think it’s important. I think there should be more activities in the community to celebrate it.

Beren:  Yeah, definitely. I think…I don’t know, especially in…where it’s predominantly African-American, they do…They have whole days devoted to different African-American history details like the history of the neighborhood, but I think people in the outer reaches have no idea what’s going on.

Devan:  That’s interesting. Are you going to partake in some of the events?

Beren:  Possibly.

 

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Discussion

Beren asks Devan if there are a lot of events going on for Black History Month. Devan isn’t sure, but she says that black history has been a topic of discussion at her school. She worries that people who aren’t in school might not notice that it’s Black History Month.

Beren says that she notices it’s Black History Month because there are celebrations in her neighborhood of the area’s black heritage.

What’s the history of your neighborhood? Is it tied to the history of your country?

 

Comments

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nikoljanson2008

Germany

  • unfortunetly I dont have any information in this regard but i would be greatful from everybody who give me some data. tanks

12:26 PM Feb 24 2008 |

Jane198767

Jane198767

China

A good idea!

11:31 AM Feb 24 2008 |

eleph

China

it's not interesting … it's more about history.all Americans must realize it .blacks make a lot of contributions in the history of USA.They can't be igored

07:49 AM Feb 24 2008 |

02.razzak

Bangladesh

I AM FROM BANGLADESH. NO NATION IN THE WORLD DID NOT LOSE THEIR LIVES FOR MOTHER LANGUAGE. BUT WE HAD TO SACRIFICE OUR LIVES.

07:08 AM Feb 24 2008 |

Hengbo shi

Hengbo shi

China

Not only  predominantly black people but predominantly white people should  take more note of the history and the civil right moment.At the same time we should be aware that everyone in the world need recogniton and honor.In this special month ,recall those heroes who had battles for  equality.

06:13 AM Feb 24 2008 |

Hengbo shi

Hengbo shi

China

Not only predominantly black people but predominantly white people should take more note of the history and the civil right moment.At the same time we should be aware that everyone in the world need recogniton and honor.In this special month ,recall those heroes who had battles for equality.

06:12 AM Feb 24 2008 |

manner914

South Korea

It was difficult for me. But it is interesting. Ha ha

12:06 AM Feb 24 2008 |

evanzhu

evanzhu

China

history is one countrie's wealth. ...

history also one countrie's culture..

 

03:17 PM Feb 23 2008 |

zeus2006

zeus2006Super Member!

Turkey

Thanks Maziqh for your comment but you should know just one thing, The minorities don't have problem in Turkey (We can call as the minorities just Armenian and Greek of Turkish nationality who live in Turkey "According to Lausanne Agreement: 24.July.1923 " They live in the best popular,richest places of Istanbul.Forexample: Prince Islands just one villa is over 1.500.000 Dollars in these islands,They have Villas near The  Bosphorus, I mean if they have any problem they couldn't live there.They are the richest people who live in Turkey.We are proud of them ) I guess you must have mixed it with France. Kurdish people are not also minorities acording to  Lozan Agreement. If you don't know you should learn it, and this comparison isn't false, because we talked about equality and rights. Although, Still USA couldn't give equalty to own people, USA can nose into the other contries works not just USA, France and the other Europian countries!!! Be happy and Healthy :)

02:29 PM Feb 23 2008 |

Mazigh

Mazigh

France

History is the memory of the people.
American nation is a mixture. 90% of Americans are arrivistes of European, African Chinese … ...

The comparison is falseThe minorities have many problems in turkey

02:11 PM Feb 23 2008 |

zeus2006

zeus2006Super Member!

Turkey

Hi Nad1a,

I want to to start my comment with your words, “I admire some people’s enthusiasm here (especially yours). I agree with you, to use history as a source of knowledge and reference is one thing and still living in history is quite another.Let’s discuss this; ofcourse there is no nation on earth to have acquired the land they occupy today, without some kind of invasion or war! (except USA), but still some countries’  leaders try to manage to some countries with these countries’  history.Let’s be open mind and talk about these openly; When Bulgaria was managed in Communism in 1980, Bulgarian government began not to want Turkish-Bulgarians and they began to change their name and no allow speaking Turkish.I guess they was afraid of their population, it would be dangerous in the future, and Turkish_Bulgarians escaped  and Turkey accepted them.Later Bulgarian government gave their right them or they got after 15-20 years.I mean it must be like this.Nowadays they can speak Turkish, use their Turkish name, go into politics.This is correct way.I tried to mention in my old comment, no one country can change the the other countries’  history in their own parliament.USA and some Europian countries judge Turkey in their own Parliament about Armenian who lived in Turkey during first world war.We have a large archive in Turkey about this situation and Our Prime minister invited all historians from USA, Armenia and the other countries to Turkey and Our prime minister told we would open our archives and open also yours  and let’s find out truth, but they didn’t open their archives and they didn’t reply just these countries judge our history in their parliaments.Parliaments are not a place which judge of some countries’ history it is just politic decision for votes. I mean even you don’t want to live in history someone always disturbs you even they don’t have any supporting documents.At that time why they behave like this?They want to get more power to manage to World !! You can say something about Kurdish people who live in Turkey, they have been living in Turkey for hundredes and hundredes years in a brotherly with us. They have each rights with the other people.For example: Turgut Ozal who was a Presidant and Prime minister was Kurdish We had and still have many ministers and parlieamenters who are Kurdish. I mean they can be all level of government’s control.But we see some of them (really less) as a terrorist against to Turkey.They killed over 30.000  innocent  civilian people even there are many babies and children in these people.WHY? Because there is USA behind them(USA want to create a new state there like Israel to manage the middle East easly), during in fisrt world war, there was Soviet Unian behind Armenians.Anyway, still USA ignores some people’s right in USA like Indian and African-Americans and the others. I couldn’t see any Indian, Korean, Chinese etc. As a politican.Just there are a few African-Americans for show only.Yes, there must not be any bad feelings and hatred we should live in a brotherly on The earth…Thanks

12:42 PM Feb 23 2008 |

Mazigh

Mazigh

France

I think it´s an interesting Month for all Blacks around  the world.President lincoln was a great man.

11:57 AM Feb 23 2008 |

lmasharee3

lmasharee3

Morocco

the past should be forgotten, and think about the futur by a new views.

thinking about the past never been a soilution, let others love you iam sure everything will be solved by the time   

10:53 AM Feb 23 2008 |

nad1a

nad1a

Greece

I admire some peopIe’s enthusiasm here but there are these three things I’d like to point out to them.
First, there’s probably no nation on earth to have acquired the land they occupy today, without some kind of invasion or war, enslavement etc so we might end up blaming and criticizing others for something that our own ancestors also did at some point in history.
Second, none of us ordinary people can be kept responsible for what our governers and stupid leaders do today, let alone what they did centuries ago.
Third, using history as a source of knowledge and reference is one thing and still living in history is quite another. So, there’s no need of bad feelings and hatred.

10:37 PM Feb 22 2008 |

memy

memy

Egypt

all the time we learn from the history,and we cant forget it

08:36 PM Feb 22 2008 |

zeus2006

zeus2006Super Member!

Turkey

1- don’t ignore your history, always remember it,
2-Read it many times and learn your mistakes,
3-And don’t do it again,

08:35 PM Feb 22 2008 |

asbel

El Salvador

i thind tht this can be posible cus i dont believe in those kind of people like lincon who possessed a couple of slaves in his house. one of them was a woman and you can image what relacions this gilr has with lincond yes u now wot i mean 

07:50 PM Feb 22 2008 |

asbel

El Salvador

i thind tht this can be posible cus i dont believe in those kind of people like lincon who possessed a couple of slaves in his house. one of them was a woman and you can image what relacions this gilr has with lincond yes u now wot i mean 

07:49 PM Feb 22 2008 |

davidlinus

India

imagine theres is no heaven

nor earth below us

above us only sky

imagine there are no countries

no boundaries to keep us apart

no colour, no race, noreligion too

its not hard if you try

 

06:39 PM Feb 22 2008 |

fkflow

fkflow

Turkey

This is very good lesson.There are a lot of info for us.

05:40 PM Feb 22 2008 |

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