They taught about Martin and his dream, Harriet and her railroad, Mr. Carver and his peanuts, Booker T. Washington creating Tuskegee, and even Madam CJ Walker who gave us blacks the gift of straight, manageable hair...that was it. We just knew them and what they did...we memorized their names and their significance.
The routine of memorizing these figures made most of lose our sense of connection to these people...these people whose pictures we would see...whose stories we would read. After a while, most of us got over them and their stories.
Maybe it is because I have grown into a woman or maybe it is because I have come to have a deep passion for African Americans and their stories, but I am disappointed in what we have become as a people in America.
I tutor intercity children in Washington D.C., my kids range from kindergarten to the third grade. The other day during reading time, I tossed the book aside and decided to ask them if they knew the significance of the month we're in (February); they did. I asked them if they could name any historical black figures and what they did (They gave me names, but could only tell me the conventional "he had a dream, she had a railroad, he made peanuts, etc."
It saddened me that these children did not know more about their people; that they did not know the struggle and pains that some of these people went through in order to ensure that future generations, like theirs, could have the things we take for granted now; a good education, jobs, equality, etc.
I am a part of a generation that would rather drop out of school and work for below minimum wage than graduate and obtain a career.
It is sad to see the descendants of Egyptian royalty, of the Ashanti tribes; people of the great African kingdoms subjected to the mindset that they can only achieve a certain amount of greatness- assuming they can even achieve anything at all.
Where are the black activists of my generation that strive to spread self-identity and cultural awareness? Where are OUR black fathers to teach their sons respect and hard work while teaching their daughters what it is like to have a good man? Where are OUR mothers to set an example for their daughters? Depleting. Diminishing. Disappearing.
My brothers and sisters a change must come and it must begin with us, now. We must remember who we are and what we come from. We must remember that we are placed on this Earth for a reason. We must remember that we set the stage for the generations to come and we influence what happens in the future.
We must celebrate Black History Month and remember those that paved the way for us to be who we are; to have the freedom and opportunities that we have.
xoxo,
J.Nne
xoxo,
J.Nne
