Morgan Freeman Criticizes Concept of Black History Month in Recent Interview
In a recent interview with Variety, renowned actor Morgan Freeman once again expressed his strong disapproval of Black History Month, saying he “detests” the annual celebration.
“I detest it. The mere idea of it,” Freeman stated during the interview, which touched upon his diverse acting career. “You are going to give me the shortest month in a year? And you are going to celebrate ‘my’ history?! This whole idea makes my teeth itch. It’s not right.”
Freeman emphasized that black history should not be segregated from American history; a point he has made numerous times in the past.
“My history is American history,” he asserted. “It’s the one thing in this world I am interested in, beyond making money, having a good time and getting enough sleep.”
Reflecting on the importance of historical awareness, Freeman said, “If you don’t know your past, if you don’t remember it, you are bound to repeat it.”
“Do you know this song? ‘To everything, there is a season.’ It really, really works in show business. You are trying to sell something 15 years ago and nobody even looks at you. Then they go: ‘Didn’t you have a project, some time ago? Do you still have it?’ Life is like that, in this industry. You have got something you think is important, but trying to convince others is the difficult part.”
Freeman’s critique of Black History Month is not new; he has made similar statements in the past, some of which have gone viral. Last year, he described Black History Month as an “insult,” arguing that it marginalizes black history to a single month.
He also took issue with the term “African-American,” stating last year, “I don’t subscribe to that title. Black people have had different titles all the way back to the n-word and I do not know how these things get such a grip, but everyone uses ‘African-American.’ What does it really mean?”
