February is Black History Month.  From what I have been hearing and reading there are many opinions out there about whether we should have a Black History Month or not, whether we need a month with a few more days, or whether Black history should even be mixed in with American history.   For myself I live in America and I consider myself to be an American.  A female, black American who lives on Planet Earth.  I think Black History Month is cool.   It gives people a chance to stand out a bit.

My pet peeve has been how Secretaries Week has shrunk to Secretaries Day.    I was a secretary for 35 years, and every year which ever company I was working for celebrated Secretaries Day.  And every year I would protest, because it was actually Secretaries Week, usually during the month of April.

A secretary has to be good with people, tactful, a listener, a coffee-maker, a right-hand man, a greeter, a multi-tasker, etc., etc., etc., did secretaries get a month?  No.  We didn’t even get the whole week and still don’t.

Every year we get one day.   Oh yea, they actually changed the name of the day though, to Professional Secretaries Day or in some places Administrative Assistant’s Day.

At least the Black History celebration has been extended from one day to one month.

I mean, for Black History, first we had the second week of February as Negro History Week, announced by Carter G. Woodson.  Then in 1937 and part of 1938, there was the radio program, “The Negro Hour.   My father, Eddie Green, actually wrote a letter to them via the California Eagle newspaper, that stated in part:  “I am writing a letter concerning the much discussed Negro Hour.  To intelligently discuss any subject, one must know something about that subject.  I am known in big time radio circles from coast to coast having appeared many times on major chains and television.  Now to the subject under discussion.  It is terrible”.  Then he went on to discuss his suggestions, and he ended the letter with this:  “Buckle down and put some real perspiration behind the program, because in your hands fate has placed the greatest instrument for the spreading of propaganda the world has every known.”

Finally, in 1976 as part of the United States Bicentennial, the informal expansion of Negro History Week to Black History Month was officially recognized by the U.S. government.  I think it’s a good thing.  Unlike what society has done to Secretaries.  Shrunk us down to one day.

I think we should celebrate all types of events, such as:

This massive and intricately decorated bell and pavilion was donated in 1976 to the people of Los Angeles by the people of the Republic of Korea to celebrate the bicentennial of the U.S. independence, honor veterans of the Korean War, and to consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries.  The bell is rung only four times each year: the Fourth of July, August 15 (Korean Independence Day) and New Year’s Eve, and every September to coincide with bell ringings around the country to celebrate Constitution week.  Until 7 or 8 years ago, I did not know this bell existed.  It is in San Pedro.  It is beautiful and important to the people of this country.  Or, this:

Or this:

Maybe we could just celebrate Life on good ole planet Earth, every day.