When you are taught a history that does not include you, it could lead
to a feeling of alienation, as though you are not really a Canadian (or
American, or whatever). It's yet another way to feel marginalized, and
I do not think that this marginalization should be blamed on the people
that feel that way. That's simply part of the way that your world has
been framed. Although I strongly identify as Canadian (and Quebecois,
and as a Montrealer) I have never really felt as though I have a stake
in the history, and therefore historical fabric of this country.
English or French people grow up knowing that they are part of a
"good", "valuable", "normal" group that can freely judge other groups
while ignoring certain struggles. Everything begins and ends with them.
This is huge. For me, this hasn't been that much of an issue until
recently, and I can see why it might be for others all the time. I
think that my brother and sisters all reacted to this quite differently
even if they never concretely identified exactly what was going on
growing up. It's like knowing that something is just "off", but not
necessarily knowing what. Anyway, you're too busy trying to fit in, or
preventing your ass from being kicked or spit on.
Like I said, it's just another way for someone to feel as though they
don't quite belong, that they aren't really as Canadian (and therefore
valid) as a person of English or French descent. (This is possibly even
more true for Americans of colour, especially "ethnic" Latinos,
considering the level of anti-immigrant/anti-Latino sentiment happening
there right now.) I find it telling that in Grade 10 I was able to
learn about Canadian Hutterites,
but that I have never learned anything about people that look like me
or may share my ancestry as having made any significant impact on the
history of this country. White people don't think that such an impact
exists; no one really does. But it does, or at least should, for black
Canadians and other people of colour. Similarly, the Chinese and
Japanese Canadian stories deserve more exposure to young Canadians. And
the portrayal of these groups should also be appropriate as well. This
is why I support the idea of a black school in Toronto (or anywhere
where there is a significant enough population), since I can't see this
sort of thing being taught in mainstream schools. I think that black
parents should encourage black education and the teaching of black
history in public schools. But I digress.
We were talking about marginalized groups putting more emphasis on
education and the actual raising up of the community from within the
community. I agree, more than you might think. I have thought briefly
about speaking at high schools, and finding out more about what keeps
young black kids back. Now I am thinking more concretely about this.
Maybe I will do it after I get better; you should, too. But I should
tell you; as much as people within the black community (I should find a
better term for that, really) want to enact change, I believe that they
would prefer to do it on their own terms rather than conform to white
standards. There is a concept of "acceptably black" that exists in
business and politics. Part of the reason why there hasn't been the
apparent progress in the black community that you might find among
other groups, for example, is that there is a historical resistance
among black groups to becoming "white", even at the same time there is
a desire for it. This goes deeper than "selling out" and "keeping it
real". It has to do with what is happening all over the place in many
different kinds of groups. People are tired of being dictated to as to
how they are expected to act and be as defined by certain power groups.
I think that black people want to succeed on their own terms,
and this may be an extra challenge that others may not have, or care as
much about. Maybe that is why Asian North Americans have to deal with
the model minority myth (and it IS something that must be dealt with; I
don't consider it a good thing) and that black North Americans do not.
They are not the model minority because they are considered (let me
emphasize this: considered) the least white people, and I am
including the concepts of whiteness/non-whiteness/blackness as well as
skin colour. I believe that there are long-running historical reasons
for this that I am unable to adequately articulate at this time. I
think that within 50 years, American Latinos will succeed even more
than they have as Latinos, not as whitewashed versions of themselves.
In any case, it is always interesting to have these discussions with you. I do appreciate them.
There was an afro-centric summer school in Little Burgundy a few years back. Don’t know if it’s still around.
There have been Black people in Québec since before Champlain.
The introduction of segregated schools in Ontario in 1950 meant that the integrated schools *founded by Black settlers* expelled their Black teachers and students so that white kids could continue to attend them.
I don’t know what the answer is. I know that it’s too easy to forget that you’re normal when other people assume that you aren’t. And it’s hard to remember all you’re capable of when the public story only represents a part of what you do.
... but anyway, there’s no reason for the history that’s taught in school not to include everyone. I really think that white, anglo, native-born kids are deprived if they never get to learn that other people build the world — and their country in particular — too.