Many prominent Black leaders argue that a new and greater emphasis should and must be placed upon the teaching, discussion and dissemination of African American history throughout the entire year, not just during Black History Month each February.  Dr. James Oliver Horton, Professor of History and American Studies at the George Washington University put it this way: "History matters!  It provides our identity, it structures our relationships, and it defines the terms of our debates. We must learn from it, even if doing so is, at times, annoying and uncomfortable. Yet experience makes clear that classrooms alone cannot be relied on to teach the lessons that must be learned by the vast numbers of Americans whose collective future may depend on that education.  History must be taught not only in the academy but in the variety of nonacademic settings where Americans go to learn."

     When a race of people does not know its history or, the history is distorted so completely that it is shattered beyond recognition, they are left with a deep sense of psychological loss and confusion about their place or purpose in the design of humanity.  An inevitable quest to fill the identity void is often undertaken without adequate resources and factual information, thus yielding a harvest of negative and unproductive life situations.   The glorious legacy, and in some ways even the humanity, of people of African descent have been cruelly ravaged.  To their credit, they have still made many great accomplishments in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles. Nonetheless, the quest for identity is unending.

      Broadcast Journalist, Kelly Wright, has commented that, “Our status as African American men is still one of trying to find our true identity.  For the most part, many of us are still confused about who we are, and as a result of that, some of our younger children are now finding themselves in a hip hop generation which is loosely defined as being “thugs”.  They are searching for themselves through the expression of music in the art form of hip hop and rap.”   To paraphrase noted journalist and writer Alex Haley, “You can’t know where you’re going, unless you know where you’ve been.”  African American youth have a very difficult time knowing who they are, where to go or who to become, because they don’t know where they, in the spirit of their ancestors, have been.  They need to know that the story of their roots is firmly planted in truth in order to function to full capacity in their scholastic, social and professional lives. 

    RTG understands the need to tell the entire story of the African American Experience from its origins in the great empires of Western Africa, through the terrible Slave Trade and Slavery; from Emancipation to the Civil Rights movement; and now in contemporary America.  These stories must be told first to those of African descent so they may begin the journey of discovering their true history and culture, and consequently, their true identity.  Secondly, they must be told to non-Blacks.  It is vital that all races learn and experience the rich history and culture of African Americans in order to bring about healing and understanding among all people to achieve mutually beneficial goals for the advancement and good of all mankind.  As author and historian, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima so eloquently articulates in the “Return to Glory” film: 

“It is not out of envy or hatred of any race that we seek at times to proclaim the great achievements of our own.  We do this because we know that no race has a monopoly of intelligence or enterprise or genius.  Because we know that the race of man is far from finished.  There is a great deal left to be done in this world, the race of man is only just beginning.  There is room for all of us at the rendezvous of history.”