Educators Want to Make Black History Everyone's History

Now that February (a.k.a black history month) is gone, people aren't that concerned about the history of African-Americans. Heck some of them-black and whiter-never cared to begin with. But others want the history of my people (that's right, I'm black and I'm proud) to stay in our minds.

Some of these "others" are a part of the Amistad Commission- a program created by legislators to examine whether the slave trade is being adequately taught in New York schools. The Commission, of many that are scattered across the country (cool!), was named after the slave ship Amistad, which was, according to CNN.com, " commandeered by slaves who eventually won their freedom in the U.S. Supreme Court."

One of the teachers involved in the Commission, Hofstra University Professor Alan Singer, invaded Oyster Bay, NY. to educate its schools (using visual aids-18th and 19th century newspaper ads from slave owners seeking help in capturing their runaway slaves on Long Island, diaries and other publications to document the slave trade in New York-and other methods such a rap music.) about slavery, which didn't exist in southern states alone. Slavery also occured in New York. Did you know that? I sure didn't.