Black Archives Experience

Black Archives Experience

My prior knowledge of Black History has always been the same basic information

throughout my educational career. I've always been taught about the same prominent influential African Americans in Black History, like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks which I believe has now become just common knowledge amongst African Americans. My field trip to the Black Archives Museum has gave me a deeper insight into my Black History and I now have developed a new found appreciation for my Black History from this enlightening experience. My visit to the derogatory room in the black archives had the deepest effect on me. This room was a display of many different ways blacks were stereotyped and disrespected in society for example little black children were referred to as "alligator bait" because they were thought as nothing by whites. I also learned the history behind the word "picnic", this word was a shortening of "pick a nigger" this was an outdoor gathering of white people where they ate food and picked a random black person to be lynched as entertainment. This information stood out to me the most because in I never really hear about how bad blacks were treated, I know they were disrespected and treated bad but however I didn't know the severity of it. After learning new information about Black History it has made a positive influence on my education. I am now inspired to take my education to the highest level, overcoming each negative black stereotype. This learning of history has also affected what I'm trying to do with my education, by inspiring me to be some sort of educator of Black History because I feel like it is important for Black people to know everything in regards to their history.