Ever since 1976, there has been a Black History Month. The first president to recognize a month designated to just black history was Gerald Ford (History.com). Every president since Ford has also recognized February as Black History Month. However, some very powerful people have a different opinion about the idea of Black History Month. In 2005, Morgan Freeman claimed in an interview with 60 Minutes that the idea of Black History Month is “ridiculous” and that he doesn’t believe there should be a Black History Month. He says that black history is American history (Snopes). Morgan Freeman is an American actor who was born in Memphis, Tennessee on June 1, 1927. He was the youngest of five children. When he was a young boy, his parents moved
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He would take a number of acting classes and couldn’t find any work. So, Freeman made the decision to move to New York City. He’d get married to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw in 1967. Morgan would work on a number of shows from the 1970’s up until the late 1980’s. That’s when he would start playing primarily in movies. The first Oscar awarded to Freeman was in 1987 for his role in the movie Street Smart where he played the role of a pimp named Fast Black. Some of his biggest roles have included The Shawshank Redemption, Deep Impact, and the Dark Knight Trilogy. With Morgan being African-American and growing up in the early to middle 1900’s, he’s not new to the idea of segregation or racism. So when he was asked his views on Black History Month, he quoted, “I don’t want a Black History Month. Black history is American history”. Black History Month was first known as Negro History Week. Carter Woodson and Jesse Moorland came up with the week in order to promote black achievements and accomplishments. The made the week in February so that it would include the birthdays of Abe Lincoln and Frederick Douglas. It would later evolve into Black History Month because of rallies in the late 1960’s for racial equality. Gerald Ford was the first president to recognize Black History Month. Every president since have also recognized the national holiday. Canada and the United Kingdom also have a Black History
He would take a number of acting classes and couldn’t find any work. So, Freeman made the decision to move to New York City. He’d get married to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw in 1967. Morgan would work on a number of shows from the 1970’s up until the late 1980’s. That’s when he would start playing primarily in movies. The first Oscar awarded to Freeman was in 1987 for his role in the movie Street Smart where he played the role of a pimp named Fast Black. Some of his biggest roles have included The Shawshank Redemption, Deep Impact, and the Dark Knight Trilogy. With Morgan being African-American and growing up in the early to middle 1900’s, he’s not new to the idea of segregation or racism. So when he was asked his views on Black History Month, he quoted, “I don’t want a Black History Month. Black history is American history”. Black History Month was first known as Negro History Week. Carter Woodson and Jesse Moorland came up with the week in order to promote black achievements and accomplishments. The made the week in February so that it would include the birthdays of Abe Lincoln and Frederick Douglas. It would later evolve into Black History Month because of rallies in the late 1960’s for racial equality. Gerald Ford was the first president to recognize Black History Month. Every president since have also recognized the national holiday. Canada and the United Kingdom also have a Black History