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February is American  Black History Month.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_History_Month

Now, I’m White and in this day and age with Barack Obama as president, there are some that would suggest racial awareness is itself racist. But it is really only a very small step to realize that every other month of the year is functionally ‘White history month’.

So as a White man, what have I to be grateful to Black people and Black culture for?

Let me state here that it’s terribly ironic that African Americans comprise an economic underclass – African American culture shapes global culture: Jazz, Blues, Rock n Roll, Hip Hop, even Hardcore Punk Rock. Seriously, my ipod playlist would be stripped to less than a dozen songs were it not for gifts from Black culture.

As an American occultist, it is the magic and religion from Africa that sets a high bar for results for other magicians to measure themselves against. It’s no accident that much of my magical influence is African American Hoodoo.

It is the Black Civil Right struggle that set the bar for all civil rights struggles that follow. Dr. Martin Luthor King demonstrated the power of non-violence, understanding it’s effectiveness in shaping public opinion.  Malcolm X demonstrated the power of a threat of violence,  a threat that in my opinion empowered Dr. King’s movement.

Dr. King, the Black Panther Party too, came to understand that everyone must have equal rights or no one will, and they came to support rights for women, gay people and to support positions against the Vietnam war.

This is early Bad Brains, they later became one of the very fastest musically excellent playing punk bands they inspired a legion of imitators yielding an entire subculture of Punk Rock called “HardCore”.

This is Bad Brains studio version of I against I – to give y’all a taste of fast Bad Brains. One of the most influential bands of all time.

This is a reading of Frederick Douglas’s speech, from the People’s History of the United States

One of Malcolm X’s better speeches in my humble opinion.

Aunt Carolina Dyer Blues, song about the Graet Hoodoo woman of years past – more information here.

Muddy Waters singing about Mojo hands, tricks – Hoodoo magics!

Okay, there’s a lot more really good information about Black History. This is the month for you to do your own research, find your own videos, books and news archives! I could’ve done more, but I think I’ve posted enough for a blog post.

If you want to do something important and you are not Black – make a Black friend! Seriously,  American culture is homogenized enough there’s no reason to not have a lot of really cool Black friends.

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