There is a White Sale at Macy’s: Reflections on Black History Month
It is a lot more controversial than you might think
In 2005, during a 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace, the actor Morgan Freeman, widely known for his film role in Driving Miss Daisy, reignited a debate about the celebration of the achievements of African-Americans during Black History Month. According to Freeman, there should be no Black History Month. He has publicly criticized the nation’s celebration of Black History Month and claims that he does not participate in any of the events related to Black History Month.
Freeman told Mike Wallace, “I don’t want a black history month. Black history is American history.”[1] Morgan Freeman went on to ask “Are you going to relegate my history to a month?” and noted that there was no “white history month.”[2] According to Freeman, the only way to end racism is to stop talking about it. Freeman then told Mike Wallace, “I am going to stop calling you a white man and I’m going to ask you to stop calling me a black man.”[3]
In the interview, Freeman raises an important question, “Is Black History Month still relevant in contemporary American society?
