Warriors' Draymond Green on Black History Month: 'Teach my history from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31'
Green wants Black History Month gone
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green sees limitations to celebrating Black history one month per year, which also happens to be the year's shortest month.
Green sounded off on Black History Month after Golden State’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday.
"We’ve got governors who want to take our history out of schools, and I’m not going to be the fool to say, ‘Yeah, we can celebrate it for 28 days,'" Green told reporters, via the Mercury News.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"So, at some point, I’d like to get rid of it. We’re making all these changes in the world — can’t talk about these people, can’t say this, can’t say that.
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Portland Trail Blazers forward Cam Reddish (5) shoots over Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the second quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco Feb. 28, 2023. (D. Ross Cameron/USA Today Sports)
"At some point, it’s time to get rid of Black History Month. Not get rid of Black history, like they’re trying to do. But Black History Month? Nah, teach my history from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, and then do it again. And then again. And then again. And then again. That’s what I’d like to see."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Black History Month originated from historian Carter G. Woodson’s Negro History Week, which he designated in 1926 as the second week in February to mark the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, according to The Associated Press.
President Gerald Ford in 1976 was the first U.S. president to recognize Black History Month.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green (23) warms up prior to a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Ore., Feb 8, 2023. (Soobum Im/USA Today Sports)
"I urge my fellow citizens to join me in tribute to Black History Month and the message of courage and perseverance it brings to all of us," Ford said at the time.
But celebrating Black history just one month out of the year has been a concept that routinely comes under scrutiny.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) battles for position against Dallas Mavericks center Dwight Powell (7) in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco Feb. 4, 2023. (Cary Edmondson/USA Today Sports)
In 2005, actor Morgan Freeman bluntly stated that the concept of a month dedicated to Black history was "ridiculous."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"You're going to relegate my history to a month?" Freeman said on CBS’ "60 Minutes" at the time. "I don't want a Black History Month. Black history is American history."
Morgan Freeman spoke out about Black History Month in 2005. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images for WarnerMedia)
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Freeman added there was no "White history month" and the only way to get rid of racism was to "stop talking about it."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.