THIS month, February, has been designated “African History Month”. It was first so designated in 1925 in the United States and gradually spread to other countries where there is an African presence.  In 1925 when Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a well-known American academic launched the commemoration of the month, it was then known as “Black History Month”.

Dr. Woodson, in his wide university experience, found that African History was never taught and that it was no more than “the missing pages of World History”.  However, over the years from 1925 to the present, more research into African History had been done, the African continent had freed itself from colonialism and several new African states had made their appearance on the world stage.  Despite the positive changes which had occurred from 1925, research and writing on African History in its comprehensive sense are still in their infancy.  Accordingly, the same imperatives regarding African History which were there 80 years ago still exist.

A country, a people, or even a civilisation cannot have an identity and self-assuredness and continuing energy and creativity except it has a history.  Therefore, there is still need for deeper research and writings to be done on Africa, its civilisations and its individual countries.  The same need exists in the large African Diasporas which exist in various parts of the world and especially in North and South America and the Caribbean.

If the activities of African History Month were to be confined only to the widening and deepening knowledge of African History, then its effort in bringing about a renaissance of the African peoples of the world would be a very slow process.  Accordingly, African History Month has now expanded to include activities which would enrich and develop the lives of African peoples, especially in the economic and cultural spheres.

In Guyana, from the early 20th century, there had always been a consciousness of the need for and possibility of improving the lives of people of African descent.  There were outstanding figures throughout the 20th century who preached this message and tried to awaken the people.  Among the most well-known is Eusi Kwayana.  Standing in Eusi Kwayana’s slippers is Dr Eric Phillips, an able and dedicated academic who is leader of ACDA, an institution which was founded by Eusi Kwayana.  The aim of ACDA is “Seeking an all-round improvement of the African presence, both in quality and in all aspects of life and in this way to influence for the better quality of life in Guyana”.

In effectuating its aims, young people are being educated from the primary level with the intention of producing men and women who would be an asset to themselves and country.  They are also being taught and exposed to entrepreneurial skills and African History and Culture.  If this agenda is adopted countrywide, the quality of life of not only people of African descent but that of the entire Guyanese nation would be bettered.

This is a plural vision of nation-building where all the elements of the nation are encouraged to develop in their own ways, leading to a sum total of an economically and culturally more developed and prosperous nation.  The plural concept of nation-building is the modern approach in contrast to the monolithic approach.  Many people are still anachronistically entrapped in the 19th century monolithic approach and view the plural effort and developments with apprehension seeing them as divisive and even racist.

The quicker the entire society and its leaders grasp that if Chinese culture, Amerindian cultures and languages, Indian culture and language as well as African culture, traditions and even languages are encouraged to develop, they would be so doing in a Guyanese context and citizens would feel more rooted in the country and have a sense of greater fraternity and solidarity.  Pluralism is therefore not a divisive but a unifying force and plural developments are not racist and would not lead to racism; on the contrary, it leads to people of all cultural and racial backgrounds respecting each other and living in greater amity and understanding.

With such a plural construct of Guyanese society, there would be cultural exchanges leading to an enrichment of the various cultures in Guyana and bringing them closer and giving them all a unique Guyanese stamp.  Such a process will ultimately result in a synthesis in which all Guyanese could share and be proud of.  All modern and progressive countries of the 21st century have adopted the plural vision.  The United States, for example, has moved away from the “melting-pot” concept where all their cultural diversities were to be melted down into the one sameness.  Now, the “salad bowl” has succeeded the “melting-pot”.  In the “salad bowl”, all the diversities could retain and develop their identities but are all related to each other and are all literally in the same American bowl.  Another plural example is India, a vast multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural country, where their Constitution fully enshrines pluralism.  Their pluralism gives India its unity, strength and opportunity for economic and cultural development.

The aspirations and agenda of African History Month are therefore worthy of promotion and adoption countrywide in the same way the Indian, Amerindian, Chinese and European would be, manifesting the plural vision of a stronger, more unified and culturally richer country.