BUCKING THE SYSTEM: HIStory BECOMES HISTORY WHEN PEOPLE TALK

February is the shortest month of the year, but it's still one of my favorites.

It's not because of Groundhog's Day, which I never keep up with because the rodent's never quite accurate. (See weather story, page 1A.)

It's definitely not because of Valentine's Day. The only consistent Valentine I've had since reaching puberty has been my dad, and even he's been slacking off since I got married last year.

No, I like February because it's Black History Month: The one month of the year that the word Africa can be heard on a daily basis.

It's funny how often the word African is used during February, especially when the name of the month doesn't include it at all. PanAfricanism, the African-American movement, and even the re-emerging Afro are all daily derivatives of the word Africa that surface during February.

So many people are offended by this little word and this short month just because of its designation as a month of celebration of African-American culture. They say that there shouldn't be a month dedicated to one ethnic group because other groups aren't indulged in the same way.

They're wrong. Other groups do have similar celebrations: German-Americans have Oktoberfest and Irish-Americans have St. Patrick's Day. The only difference is that African-Americans petitioned the federal government to set aside a time to celebrate their heritage, and the government finally complied.

Asian-Americans and Hispanic-Americans also have well-deserved heritage months, but almost no mainstream media pay attention to these cultural celebrations in the Midwest, with the exception of WGN.

But I forgot -- we don't get WGN anymore.

Even with all of the controversy that still surrounds the month, strides have been made.

I've been to several schools locally that have almost nonexistent minority populations, and yet they manage to have at least one bulletin board and one school program dedicated to Black History Month. That's a good sign.

I can talk about my culture with co-workers and they aren't afraid to tell me if they just don't get it. And I know of at least co-worker who isn't afraid to ask if a story he's written would offend me because of cultural bias.

That's an inroad, and more are being made everyday.

Isn't it sad that we have to campaign and lobby and litigate for a chance for a culture to share its pride with the nation? The United States is supposed to be a great-looking tossed salad of cultures and ethnicities; the home of the great cultural melding.

More often, the nation exists as an imbalanced mixture of vinegar-and-oil salad dressing that doesn't taste quite right.

Any culture, whether it's religious or ethnic, traditional or pop, should be able to express its pride. That's what being American is all about. I have a definite African heritage, which I love to share with others. I also have a strong patriotic streak that makes me want to see all of the cultures in this country grow strong together.

That will only happen with communication and education. There are a lot of excellent documentaries about African-American history being aired on television this month. If you're interested in local history, go to your local library or a church. Talk to somebody.

A cultural heritage remains HIStory to somebody until it is shared.

~Tamara Zellars Buck is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.