I grew up in a time when history and social studies taught that the United States was a “melting pot.” It is a founding metaphor for the United States that may have been in use since the 1780’s. In recent decades that metaphor has been challenged because the homogenous culture that most imagined was one that combined those of European descent. I can’t argue with that as a reality, but I still like the ideal of a more balance “melting pot.”
More recent metaphors have included mosaic or salad bowl. These consider the variety of cultures that make up the citizens of most of the Americas, but let’s stick the United States. Call me a child of the age, but my personal preference is for “mosaic” without completely discarding the ideal of melting pot. For me, mosaic honors each person’s heritage and the melting pot honors ideals of equality and unity. They are not exclusive.
The problem with the melting pot in the past is that it assumed movement toward mostly Western European Culture. Yet one cannot look at any part of our society without seeing influences from every ethnicity. The problems have always arisen from power, control, and who get the credit. That is the systemic issue that we are still trying to address.
We currently celebrate at least four cultural history months: Black History Month (February), Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May), Latinx Heritage Month (September), and Native American Heritage Month (October). These are all necessary for us to learn to appreciate the contributions of every ethnicity that make up our nation.
Learning of the massive contributions of others helps us to learn to appreciate each other. What is so astounding is the contributions that so many made in hostile environments. Most in the majority or controlling populations never have been asked to sacrifice personally for the good of those who are openly hostile. Studying Black history in its American context will leave any honest person in awe of the intelligence, wisdom, and courage shown by those who were seen as second-class citizens. We all owe them more than we know.
What I have had to learn is that Black history is my history. The United States would not be the same nation without the contributions of those whose heritage is in Africa.
God created the nations. We are all his children. We need to remember that. Any theology or national identity or ideology that demeans other ethnicities or sees one as superior to another is a theology or identity or ideology that is off course and eventually dangerous. We live in a world of such and responding to them challenges us at every level. Learning more about each other helps.
The New Testament understands that even when a person becomes a disciple of Jesus, there will still be differences. Some will want to keep festivals and others not — but both the keeping and abstaining are to be in honor of God. Paul understood that because we are “slave and free, male and female, Jew and Gentile” (see Galatians 3:27-29) we are inclined to see ourselves either better or worse than others.
In more than one place this is called nonsense. We are called to unity. But this does not erase our heritage or who we are, it honors it. Unity in the face of differences is the beauty of life together on this planet and we can only accomplish that if we honor each other’s past with equal measure. When that happens, we all move toward each other.
Study and honor the history of your ethnicity, your heritage, your family and share it for others to see. Wear it proudly yet accept the contributions of others with humility. Better for some of us to learn the history of others.
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