Feb. 6, 2022
Black History Month
I was the child in grade school who always question why we as a black people only celebrate us the shortest month of the year when our ancestors built the Americas.
I hear people say all the time we make things about race; my response is always no we don't make things about race. we have been divided for years because of it.
and as always, I was sent to the principal office. when I got into high school those same questions came once again but this time, I could research more about not just black history but my history of my ancestors as well. I learned that we are a powerful people despite how the world as made us to be throughout history, my family heritage starts in the jungles of Africa, Hati, and then my ancestors were sold into slavery by their own kind for a few pieces of gold and silver. My great great grandmother was rape by her slave owner along with another few generations also in slaved. my grandfather at the age of thirteen had to cut his brother down from a tree because he was looking at a white girl down the road. crosses were burned on my great grandparent's yard because they thought that because my great grandfather was so dark and my great grandmother was so light, they were a mixed in couple. in Chattanooga Tennessee that was not allowed. I listen to story from my grandfather how he and other freedom fighter sat at counters and were spit on because they wanted the same rights as white people to been seen as human beings. I feel like we were always treated as because of the color of our skin we were less than. My grandfather had a fifth-grade education, but he served in World War 2 as a mechanic and came home to raise his family. bought a house and worked a job for over 30 years to retire to receive a a watch and a thank you for his service, while a white guy who worked for the same company received a gold watch and a retirement party.
I am proud of my grandparents, great grandparents, and great great grandparents because the paved the way for us to be what and who we are. the gave blood, sweat and tears so we can live and better.
We still have to fight for what's right, and I will never give up that fight, but we have to learn how to listen to others no matter what color they are and learn from the perspective.
And be what Malcolm, Martin, Huey, and countless others knew we could be if we just stick together and work as one.
Stop killing each other and feeding into the narrative of what others think of us.
Black history means to me that I am a powerful, strong and intelligent person because of my proud history as a black woman. because I came from a powerful, strong educated people.