Black Excellence

A well documented history can benefit a race thought to be "without a worthy culture" in many ways. For example, in Arthur A. Schomburg's essay, "The Negro Digs Up His Past," he says that he was constantly told by his teachers that blacks had no history and this drove him to wholeheartedly embrace his African heritage (Schomburg, 1952). He also states "The American Negro must remake his past in order to make his future" (Schomburg, 1952). By remaking the past, the American Negro can see what greatness he or she came from and strive to recreate it. 

Acknowledging this history can inspire new ideas and traditions in this generation. Schomburg brings up a good point when he says, "History must restore what slavery took away, for it is the social damage of slavery that the present generations must repair and offset" (Schomburg, 1952). The many obstacles that American Negros have overcame maybe thought of as the only history they have which will not stimulate pride, but looking back even further and realizing the beauty and success of African culture before slavery will. Lastly, Schomburg also says "...an ounce of fact is worth a pound of controversy" (Schomburg, 1952). People will deny the history of black people because they don't want to acknowledge the truth. In conclusion, Arthur A. Schomburg was a bright man who knew what it would take to make black people see their true excellence.