With just over three weeks to go, the Church in America will celebrate Black Histry Month. In our churches (South Africa) we do not have such a commemoration. We will only celebrate Founder's Day on February 17, 2002. And thanks to the vision of Bishop GGM Ingram, we will have joint celebrations as per Annual Conference.

However, I am very much interested in the programs that our churches in the USA will be having. I would appreciate a program from any church to assist me in drafting a similar program for the month of February.

I thank you very much in anticipation.

God Bless You.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2002

Answers

African-Americans celebrate Black History month in February.They come together and celebrate the lives of Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, ML King,jnr., Harriet Tubman and others.

We in South Africa celebrate Heritage Day on 24 September 2002(public holiday). Then we celebrate the lives of Dwane, James Dube, Solomon Plaatje, Govan Mbeki, Charlotte Manye and also our cultural diversity.

Heritage Day is more or less the equivalent for Black History month.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2002

Black History Month grew out of a movement started by Carter Woodson, a historian who is black. He started Negro (Black) History Week as a means of encouraging and teaching black children about the heroes of Black heritage. Later it was expanded to a month. I teach Black History all year. As much as possible, I use positive figures from the Black experience in my sermons and illustrations. One has to be adiligent student of black history to preach the message to black folk and white folk to for that matter. Right now, I'm reading "The Diligent, A voyage Through the Worlds of the Slave Trade", by Robert Harms. I would like very much to read some African authors on the slave trade also. Can someone make a recommendation of African authors?

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2002

This year I am putting together a program that celebrates living history. There is an immerse about of history lost due to illness and people not viewing our elders as "people." I came up with this idea while listening my Aunt Eddie Willie discuss the art of soap making. She talked about her experiences as a little girl share croppin' in Georgia and her grandmother's first hand stories of slavery. I also am touched by the stories my Big Moma told me of Minton Springs AMEC, pastored by my great granddaddy..Rev. Carlo Mathis May. There is so much history in that church including a slave burial ground!

Brenda

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2002

I am also very interested in African and African-American history and try to read everything that I can about it. However, I am interested in hearing how Africans view themselves in history but I have had a difficult time obtaining books written by African historians. I thank God for that great Senegalese scholar Cheik Anta Diop. I have written Penguin Books in South Africa asking them for a bibliography and they have not returned my requests. Can any of my African brothers suggest how I might obtain books about African history written by Africans?

JazzMan

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2002