Lol. There's no Jewish history month; there's no Italain history month; there's no Irish history month, etc etc etc. What right does anyone have to force an administration to recgonize something they obviously don't? We all wade through the month of Feb, with Roots or -pike 'ee movies on daily... Why? A whole month? No other race of people suffered here,for/from this country? Come on! If anything,a week should suffice. If U.o.P. felt it necessary to reckgonize Feb as some kind of black history month, they would.

Italian, Jews, and Irish you have mentioned are not races, they are ethnicities. Actually, if you know your history, there are other races and ethnicities who have suffered in America.

Based on your knowledge and abrv for Penn as U. o. P, you are obviously not a student from Penn.

the link, you are absolutely right those are not ethnicities but NoMonkey is also right. There is no Asian history month, White history month, Arab history month, or Hispanic history month. I'm pretty sure that if any of these months did exist there would be a court battle and some very angry people claiming racism. The United States has already given African Americans an entire month. Who cares what Amy Gutmann and the University do? Quite frankly, Black History Month and "demands" being made regarding Black History Month just fuels racism.

Sure, celebrating the history of contributions Asian-Americans, Italian-Americans, and Jewish-Americans is critical - see Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States or Ronald Takaki's A Different Mirror.

But the construct of race and racism that we define and redefine today is built on the history of BLACK SLAVERY in the United States.

If you cannot appreciate the brutal legacy of the enslavement of Africans in this country, then you do not understand American constitutional history, American economic history, American medical history, American legal history, etc. You do not realize how our economic system was built around the enslavement of people with BLACK skin. You do not know how only 60 years ago, blacks could hardly buy property even after serving in World War II or maintaining steady middle class incomes. And you cannot explain why the median net worth of black households is $17,000 (largely due to home equity) compared to the median net worth of white households of $170,400. That's right, 10 times higher.

We are all responsible for the disinvestment in black communities and devaluation of black people in the United States. I wish we lived in a time when the history books addressed this legacy responsibly, but until then Penn needs at the very least to acknowledge and address it head on each and every February.

Please refrain from grand-standing and making wholly inaccurate allegations.

It's unclear to me why you are using median net worth to support your argument because it fails to consider confounding variables such as spending habits. I therefore refer you to median household incomes as cited by the U.S, Census Bureau. According to the 2007-2008 Census Report, the median household income for Caucasians is $55,530 compared to the median household income for African Americans $34,218. I unequivocally agree that a disparity of this magnitude is, at the very least troubling.

African Americans have and in many ways continue to be disenfranchised. This is a tragic reflection of the world's continued ignorance. This should be addressed. Unfortunately the ignorance extends far beyond race.

You contend that we are failing to appreciate the "brutal legacy of the enslavement of Africans in this country...the constitutional, economic, medical and legal history." African Americans are not the only population that has been haunted by the inequalities of society. Woman are an exceptionally marginalized population. They too played a considerable role in the economic, medical and legal history of this country.

A poignant example of the continued discrepancy is one's right to vote. African Americans were given the right to vote in 1870, while woman were not granted the right to vote until the 1920's. The salaries of men and women are also of consideration. Statistics reveal that on average woman make 30% less than their male counterparts. But this is not about who is right or wrong or who has suffered more. This is about recognition of the struggles that all people endured in an effort to shape this country.

Lastly, "demanding" that President Gutmann, "convene a panel consisting of Gutmann, faculty and University and Philadelphia community leaders" to “discuss the history of interactions between the communities of the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia” does not accomplish your intended goal.

It's unclear to me why you are using median net worth to support your argument because it fails to consider confounding variables such as spending habits. I therefore refer you to median household incomes as cited by the U.S, Census Bureau. According to the 2007-2008 Census Report, the median household income for Caucasians is $55,530 compared to the median household income for African Americans $34,218. I unequivocally agree that a disparity of this magnitude is, at the very least troubling.

African Americans have and in many ways continue to be disenfranchised. This is a tragic reflection of the world's continued ignorance. This should be addressed. Unfortunately the ignorance extends far beyond race.

You contend that we are failing to appreciate the "brutal legacy of the enslavement of Africans in this country...the constitutional, economic, medical and legal history." African Americans are not the only population that has been haunted by the inequalities of society. Woman are an exceptionally marginalized population. They too played a considerable role in the economic, medical and legal history of this country.

A poignant example of the continued discrepancy is one's right to vote. African Americans were given the right to vote in 1870, while woman were not granted the right to vote until the 1920's. The salaries of men and women are also of consideration. Statistics reveal that on average woman make 30% less than their male counterparts. But this is not about who is right or wrong or who has suffered more. This is about recognition of the struggles that all people endured in an effort to shape this country.

Lastly, "demanding" that President Gutmann, "convene a panel consisting of Gutmann, faculty and University and Philadelphia community leaders" to “discuss the history of interactions between the communities of the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia” does not accomplish your intended goal.

Nursingstudent2012, pick up a book or a newspaper. Get current. There IS an Asian history month (May) as designated by Pres. George HW Bush in 1990. There IS a Hispanic History Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) designated by Pres. Ronald Reagan. Arab-American History Month is celebrated in different cities in different months but it IS celebrated. White History month is celebrated 12 months out of the year. There have been no court battles and no angry people claiming racism.

Really, you should know what you're talking about before you post. Ignorance isn't pretty.

missteek, Thank you for informing me about the months that have been designated for other races. I apologize for speaking without fully researching my statements. I guess that just proves the point that every other race is pleased with the month devoted to their history and use that month to promote equality while attempting to gap the divide between races. With that said, it seems like Black History Month is the only month that ends up fueling more racism. How can you possible say that White History Month is 12 months a year? Everyday is devoted to solving inequality, as it should be, but anyone stating "White Pride" is automatically a racist statement. Black History Month is celebrated throughout the nation and is highly publicized. Many people do believe that it is actually the African Americans who are being racist during their celebrations as they spend the entire month bitching and complaining about whatever they can; it's all about publicity and propaganda. I would like nothing more to see everyone get along but by complaining every February you are furthering the divide and turning a lot of people against each other. Does any good come from this?

With due respect, this article reads like a one-sided press release, without even a single quote from students on the other side. I think great comments were made above. I'd also add a few points here.

Most importantly, if we really wanted to move to a post-racial society, shouldn't we highlight and attack the actual symptoms of the problems instead of keeping at the old, failed solution of trying to attach some sort of racial "woe-be-me" labels?

Very few people will argue that African Americans were not hurt as a people during slavery times. Please be fair and admit this fact - especially about an intellectual audience like this. I think, David, your quote that "you do not realize how our economic system was built around the enslavement of people with BLACK skin" is a bit dogmatic. What about the Native Americans we kicked out? What about the Chinese who built the railroad systems? As a capitalist society, by definition, the economic system is PHYSICALLY built BY (not around) those who are economically weak. During slavery times, it was Africans; today, in the context of the population at Penn, it's certainly not Blacks as a whole. That's not to say, however, that I don't think a segment of the Black population is disenfranchised based on the opportunities they have not had, but that's not a racial problem.

Believe me, I know how easy it is for me to say I empathize with the African slaves who were made to work during that period in our history, but by the same token, I have to ask that you show the same empathy, not specifically to Blacks in general today, but to the poor and the struggling workers who "build" our economy - for example, the proverbial single mother who has to shuttle between two jobs just to get food on the table, be she White, Hispanic, Asian, or yes, Black. How about the veteran who has served the country but comes back going through all sorts of mental trauma without any support? If your stated claim is to give equal opportunities, isn't it only fair that you think more about the White student in inner city Philly who's tenancious and bright but didn't get the opportunity to take all the AP classes or the Princeton Review SAT courses, or the Hispanic kid at Penn who struggles to maintain a 3.3 GPA because she can't study uninterrupted because she has to study while working late-night shifts at the computer lab, over the Black student whose family comes from a moneyed background in Silicon Valley and has a trust fund at home waiting for him? Does the latter really need another opportunity to highlight his "struggles" as he seeks a job on Wall Street?

David, you complain about the history books not reflecting Black history correctly - with respect, which books are you reading, and what more are you asking for? In my years at Penn (I had a poli sci minor), I had never come across a single book that triumphed the White contribution to America, not a single book that did not give the highest respects to the African contribution to society.

I enjoy the life that I'm blessed with today, even if it's not as "fair" as the "old White boy's club" life, and I sincerely admire the power that the Black community has drawn just by being so vocal and so united, but pushed to an extreme, the incessant, one-sided complaints that promote the race rather than the disparity problem are really too much.

There's a difference between raising awareness of issues and forcing things down people's throats. Sure, Gutmann can organize this panel based on your "demands", and we can have a few (additional) guest speaker events around campus, maybe put a few posters around, have a few (more) Black History movie nights, endow another Black scholarship, issue another press release or two highlighting yet another Black history book list or another publication by a Black professor, but what does all that accomplish, other than put people of other races further onto the defensive? Sure, an article like this (intentionally or not) may not include comments like mine or PennRunsonIgnorance's or the others from my side, and sure, publicly, you'll get great support for ideas like this university-wide recognition of black history month, but I'd suggest that we really need to think about how much these efforts, while creating a great politically correct environment (in favor of Blacks over any other races), will just suppress those jealousies, only to have them bubble up in genuinely unhelpful ways. For example, as a consequence of this movement, when recruiters are picking resumes, it's just inevitable that there will be a bias against African Americans in the regular recruiting processes because they have to compensate for the stream of Black and other minority students coming in from the minority sources like SEO or "scholarship" and "leadership" programs. Is separate but "equal" what you want?

Penn07, thank you for your perspective. I think you make a compelling argument and you are correct in your assessment. This is a no win situation...

To everyone posting, people are very passionate about this topic. It is imperative that we continue to be respectful of people's perspectives and continue to discuss the issue at hand and refrain from making this personal and being rude to one another. We are all adults, let's continue to post as such.

Sample research paper? What do you mean?

I am a current student in SP2 (School of Social Policy and Practice), and when this petition was sent out I could not believe the arrogance of it. My fellow social work students are asking the president of a university to plan events and give speeches when they themselves did not do a single thing for Black History Month: No community service events were planned, no panels were created, no fundraising, no nothing. And yet, they come on here and post about how terrible all white Americans are to every other race and "demand" a response from Gutmann. I would like to posit a challenge to my fellow SP2 Students: Plan something. Do something YOURSELVES if you want to see a change. Don't rely on others to do it, don't sign stupid petitions. President Gutmann and the rest of our community would have a lot more respect for social work and social workers if we actually stepped up and did something.

I am dismayed with the response of the SP2 students to this and other recent issues. It seems that recently more effort in SP2 has gone toward signing petitions, airing grievances against professors that they disagree with, and discussing the issues rather than actually solving problems. Much inequality and injustice exists in this country - that point is inarguable. This is suffered disproportionately by those at the bottom of the economic ladder but is also suffered by those of a particular race (be it black, Hispanic, Asian or even white), gender, sexual orientation, etc. I do not discount the impact and importance of discussing these topics. But talk without action is cheap! With this in mind, I challenge Penn, but in particular, SP2 students to do their part in alleviating injustice. As suggested by another commenter - tutor a student in West Philadelphia, participate in MLK Day service opportunities (I was there and I did not see many SP2 students at these service events), clean up Clark Park, lobby SEPTA to improve service to Philadelphia's disadvantaged neighborhoods, mentor a child through Big Brothers Big Sisters, organize field trips of SP2 students to local elementary schools in order to better understand what challenges students face, ask for meetings with local nonprofit and government leaders to learn how they could use your help, but most of all, organize yourselves - take the initiative rather than pointing the finger. Discussion is a good starting point, but it is time to move beyond grandstanding and act. You ARE Penn, you ARE the system, you have power - it is YOUR responsibility to make change and to help President Gutmann. Be the change you wish to see.

SEAS 2009

Some of you have complained about my colleagues at SP2. While everyone is entitled to their thoughts and feelings, you do not know what goes on in the class of 2011. We are a different bunch. Perhaps the class before us saw social change differently and that is perfectly fitting for them. We believe in our title as Change Agents and we wear that title proudly. If you studied change, you would know that change does not happen over night. It takes time and strategic planning. I guarantee that you will see organized events for Black History month with the help of SP2 and the wonderful people at the African American Resource Center. Instead of complaining and comparing the Black experience to other races/ethnicities, do something. Anyone can get online and hide behind a screen name. Be proud of who you are and your history because all of it is American history. Let's support everyone's history/month. Let's not sweep it under the rug, which we have been doing for centuries.

As for SEAS 2009, if you would like a list of community service projects that our students have done. Please feel more than free to shoot me an email. You can find me in the directory. Better yet, google me. :)

I commend my fellow colleagues and I am proud to be a part of a cohort that understands REAL social change takes time and effort.

Check out my radio show: Mapping the City on WQHS.org Fridays @ 6 PM-8PM Request Lines: 215-898-3500

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