Delaware moves to start black history education program
DELAWARE – Delaware Governor John Carney says they state is working with the Delaware Heritage Commission to create an education program on black history. Vice Chair of the commission Dr. Reba Hollingsworth tells 47ABC that she hopes the program will inspire other states to emphasize black history education. “You can’t change history but you can certainly can learn from it and change your present actions by knowledge of the history,” said Dr. Hollingsworth.
Dr. Hollingsworth says that now is the time to expand and improve education about black history in America. She says that she is doing her part by helping to create the program. “I think we have to start some place, and we’re not going to be able to change everybody. But if we can make a positive impact that’s going to be beneficial to everybody,” said Dr. Hollingsworth.
Dr. Hollingsworth says that the plan for creating this education program is still in its early stages. She hopes that the program will help people to understand the important contributions by black people to American society. “I think there’s so much that’s missing and people really don’t know that much about our history or our current history. The Civil Rights movements and so forth,” said Dr. Hollingsworth.
Dr. Hollingsworth says that education is where the roots of equality sprout from, and the program would be just one step towards equality. “Whites have been denied also the experiences that they could have had if they had just opened their hearts and minds to accepting us as people other than less than,” she said.
Governor Carney will speak at a press conference alongside Dr. Hollingsworth Friday. The governor said in a press release that next week he plans to sign an executive order banning the use of choke holds by Delaware State Police and Dover police.
