United States as a way to raise awareness of a minority race whose history traditionally received short shrift in standard history texts.

Because of Bermuda's close cultural and geographical links with the US, it is hardly surprising that the concept of Black History Month -- held in February, the month in which both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were born -- has grown in popularity here as well.

A story in yesterday's Royal Gazette pointed out the irony that a month set aside for a minority in the US has become a focus for what is, in fact, the majority race in Bermuda.

Nonetheless, there are good reasons why Bermuda should set aside time to assess the importance of the black experience in Bermuda. The most important reason stems from the legacy of slavery and segregation, which largely barred black Bermudians from taking part in mainstream economic and political decision-making until the latter part of the 20th Century. Most standard histories, especially those on the political history of the Island, focused on the white leadership of the Island and how their actions and decisions affected the Island.

The supporters of a black history month argue that this is why a special time for "white history'' need not be set aside; the main themes are generally known, while black history needs to be highlighted to overcome the previous neglect. Role models, too, play a part -- some people will argue that successful black people who overcame great odds can inspire current generations.

History's importance lies primarily in seeing how the past shapes the present.

The conspicuous absence of the history of the black community has meant that the picture of Bermuda's development was incomplete. Much has now been done over the last 30 years to redress that gap.

Nonetheless, much of this history remains unknown to the "average'' Bermudian and it is easy to make blanket assumptions about Bermuda's history and the roles black and white Bermudians played in it.

Thus, some would assume that all blacks were slaves before 1834, or that no blacks had political rights before 1968. Both assumptions would be wrong, as would assumptions by whites that because Bermuda did not have a plantation economy, that slavery was "better'' across the board in Bermuda than it was in the Caribbean or the southern United States.

History also has an important role to play in overturning generalisations and giving us all a more accurate picture of our past and a sense of how individual communities differ from the rest. Thus, "black history'', to the extent that it points out the struggles and the successes -- often against heavy odds -- of black Bermudians, has a purpose in shedding light on parts of the Island's history where little was previously known and in comparing and contrasting how Bermuda's experiences were different from those of Barbados or South Carolina.

But this whole notion should not be regarded as an end in itself, but as a means to an end when the history of all Bermuda's people can be taught honestly and thoroughly -- warts and all -- so all Bermudians can understand how this community got to this point.