Invaluable sources for uncovering Black History can be your own family's stories, local folklore, state and local libraries, and state archives.
When I visited the North Carolina State Archives I was surprised at how much of our history had been preserved. The person who assisted me knew exactly where the information on my great grand father, Luke Grady, was located. Among other things, there were copies of of his voting record in the NC State Assembly, and even a class photo of all the newly elected assemblymen elected that year of 1885.
So, the information is out there. There is no excuse for anyone to
accept the notion held by many that those Africans who were enslaved in the Americas, and their descendants, have no past, no culture and nothing to be proud of. This is an outright lie. One school of thought suggests that the white power structure had denigrated Blacks for so long that they were loath to give us any credit, for anything.
Also, let's get beyond our people being enslaved. Throughout history, and even in the present day, most civilizations enslaved their own people and others. It wasn't just Africans. A few years ago, while reading a national magazine I found a United Nation's report on Worldwide Slavery, with the top slave traders listed. Guess what country was at the top of the list, Albania, in eastern Europe. And, in ancient history, the Egyptians enslaved the Jews. The Jews were also enslaved by the Nazis before World War II. Well, the Jews obviously got over it, and pulled themselves together. Blacks need to do the same.
The problem we have with our past was implanted in the minds of our people more than two hundred years ago. Many of us were forbidden to even talk about slavery, even by our own family members.
The poet and author, Maya Angelou is quoted as saying,"...our children hate us because we haven't told them about our history".
What many of us have found is that if we focus on the positive, our work will last a lifetime.
When I visited the North Carolina State Archives I was surprised at how much of our history had been preserved. The person who assisted me knew exactly where the information on my great grand father, Luke Grady, was located. Among other things, there were copies of of his voting record in the NC State Assembly, and even a class photo of all the newly elected assemblymen elected that year of 1885.
So, the information is out there. There is no excuse for anyone to
accept the notion held by many that those Africans who were enslaved in the Americas, and their descendants, have no past, no culture and nothing to be proud of. This is an outright lie. One school of thought suggests that the white power structure had denigrated Blacks for so long that they were loath to give us any credit, for anything.
Also, let's get beyond our people being enslaved. Throughout history, and even in the present day, most civilizations enslaved their own people and others. It wasn't just Africans. A few years ago, while reading a national magazine I found a United Nation's report on Worldwide Slavery, with the top slave traders listed. Guess what country was at the top of the list, Albania, in eastern Europe. And, in ancient history, the Egyptians enslaved the Jews. The Jews were also enslaved by the Nazis before World War II. Well, the Jews obviously got over it, and pulled themselves together. Blacks need to do the same.
The problem we have with our past was implanted in the minds of our people more than two hundred years ago. Many of us were forbidden to even talk about slavery, even by our own family members.
The poet and author, Maya Angelou is quoted as saying,"...our children hate us because we haven't told them about our history".
What many of us have found is that if we focus on the positive, our work will last a lifetime.
No comments:
Post a Comment