Gaining Understanding From Our History

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. Harriet Tubman, American abolitionist and political activist

On this is the first day of Black History Month, I’m remembering Harriet Tubman, the escaped slave who completed thirteen missions to help other slaves escape to freedom using safe houses and the Underground Railroad.

However, remembering the people, events, and key dates of historical events is just the start. According to Senior Lecturer in History, Dr Tony Joel, from Deakin University’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences, “Historians are far more interested in exploring the how and why questions – that is, interpreting events to better understand how they unfolded and why they occurred.”

As we remember important events and historical figures during this month, let’s also consider the how and why so we can learn from both the positive events like Tubman helping slaves as well as the negative, the assassination of Martin Luther King. How do the lessons we learn from these historical events apply today?

Affirmation: I will remember and ask why.

Coaching questions: What “why and how” questions do you have? Where will you find the answers?