February is black history month and it is wonderful opportunity for any family, regardless of race, to enjoy and have fun learning a bit about African American History. I have a few plans, that center around food and music mostly, but also look to build off the lessons and events surrounding the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and the day of service organized last month in his honor.
I intend to serve my wife and daughter a diverse menu this month, featuring some soul food: ribs, pulled pork (barbecue), sweet potatoes and more. We are going to talk about the food, where it originated and why. I have been to Memphis and tasted both the famous dry rub of Rendezvous Ribs and the finger licking wet ribs from Corky’s. I have had fried catfish on Beale Street and tasted much more Southern cuisine in St. Louis, D.C. and in North Carolina’s High Country. I bring a love, appreciation and respect for that style of cooking and at least a tiny bit of knowledge to the table when it comes to regional cuisine. I plan on sharing all of that love with my girl throughout her life, but especially now as we celebrate Black History Month.
There will be plenty of great music played in our house over the next 28 days, even more Jazz than usual! My favorite jazz artists like Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn will be our guests each night for dinner. I also plan on exposing my daughter to traditional work songs and spirituals along with some of the modern socially conscious hip-hop that my wife and I love, acts such as Black Star, Common and hometown legends The Roots. And of course, the incomparable Stevie Wonder! We already taught her a bit about Martin Luther King Jr. in conjunction with his birthday and our day volunteering and we hope to further discuss and learn about his impact on our lives and on society. We have hit the library and checked out several amazing books featuring, or about, African Americans. Titles that include: Charlie Parker Played Be Bop, Looking For Bird and Whistle for Willie, among others.
February is a great time to begin (or continue) talking to your kids about the history of this country, the good and the bad, as it relates to people of color. We as a nation have made a lot of progress, considering that the end of the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery was less than 150 years ago and the Civil Rights movement was in full swing less than 45 years ago. It is important to note that despite the leaps and bounds of progress, many African Americans and other folks continue to struggle with racism and intolerance in this country. That is one of the reasons the month of February is a perfect time to share the stories of some legendary Americans with our kids, dance to some beautiful music and savor traditional cuisine. Yes, this can and should be fun!
We can kick off the month by watching a historic event unfold before our eyes as two black head coaches, and two wonderful people, square off in NFL’s Super Bowl on Sunday 2/4.
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