I was raised with reverence for the Almighty, a path of following Yeshua (Jesus the Christ), an understanding that all I was given was given for me to give, a love of America, and a love of Africa. As I frequently spent time in primarily "White" environments as a child I learned early on that I couldn't fully publicly celebrate in February's Black History Month. In the environments I've been employed in I frequently silently smiled at comments from people of African descent who would attempt to 'fit in' by publicly watering down Black History Month as they worried that the recognition would "cause more harm"..... Americans seem to use the strategy of dilution frequently. The honorable Dr. King was watered down to "I have a Dream." (Many will say that this speech wasn't his finest). The honorable Rosa Parks was watered down to one act of courage (an act she did more than once, and and act that was done numerous times before her). The honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey was diluted to "Back to Africa." (Nuff said) and the White and Jewish Americans who made decisions that complemented the acts of the aforementioned are rarely mentioned. (Somebody "White" had to sign to change the 'Un-American yet strangely American' laws that Dr. King's activities were able to nudge towards change). I, however, wasn't taught diluted history which relates to people who have a glorious African ancestry.
I was raised being taught about Mexico's 2nd President who was proudly of African descent. I was taught the hidden Black history of the 'Three Musketeers" candy bar. I was taught about the atrocities and hidden gems of Christianity's Black History (in example: the African cultural and regional origins of the man who is recorded to carry the cross for Christ) and I was warned by my parents and teachers that even as we are Americans, Americans will not fondly allow "us" to publicly celebrate the African aspect of ourselves.
I realize that this post may make some feel uneasy. Rest assured. We love you as well. Celebrating one aspect of myself doesn't reduce a love I have for other parts of my American and Human and everything else existence. "So for those that have ears"........Here are some of the things that I was taught.
Here's some of the Dr. King I was raised on:
“I come here tonight & plead with you, believe in yourself & believe that you’re somebody…nobody else can do this for us, no document can do this for us, no Lincolnian Emancipation Proclamation can do this for us, no Kennedisonian or Johnsonian civil rights bill can do this for us, if the negro is to be free he must move down into the inner resources of his own soul & sign with a pen an ink of self assertive manhood his own emancipation proclamation…don’t let anybody take your manhood, be proud of our heritage…we don’t have anything to be ashamed of, somebody told a lie one day, they couched it in language, they made everything black ugly & evil, look in your dictionary & see the synonyms of the word black- it’s always something degrading, low & sinister look at the word white, it’s always something pure..well I want to get the language right tonight, I want to get the language so right that everybody here will cry out YES I AM BLACK & I’M PROUD OF IT, I AM BLACK & BEAUTIFUL!” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Here's some more of the Dr. King I was raised on:
“We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together ... you can't really get rid of one without getting rid of the others... the whole structure of American life must be changed. America is a hypocritical nation and (we) must put (our) own house in order.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“There must be a better distribution of wealth and maybe America must move toward a democratic socialism." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“The shirtless and barefoot people of the land are rising up as never before. The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. We in the West must support these revolutions.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
During this month I invite you to enjoy my past lessons and to consider that "Nobody else can do this for us." Whatever it is that I, you, we - need to change.....Nobody else can do this for us.... We must do it for ourselves, for our ancestors, and to the glory of the Almighty. God, continue to bless America.
Remain beloved, beloved.
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