The late Gil Scott-Heron termed African Americans “the latest survivors of the constantly strong.” Our recent triumph over the labyrinth of American racism in the reelection of President Barack Obama, a replay of unity first seen in 2008, eclipsed the civil rights struggles of the ‘50s and ‘60s, impressive slave rebellions, 18th Century establishment of churches with global missions, schools and colleges, newspapers and anti-lynching campaigns.
Globally, people adopt our power salute and watch closely our navigation of waters inside the belly of the beast. Campaign voter suppression, déjà vu for our elders, was critical exposure for our youth.
This is a new beginning, a groundbreaking. We should now impress upon children, whose historical knowledge is remiss, the many things we have done right. If not in dysfunctional parents, they can identify positive role models in their ancestry, helping them achieve resilience and self-actualization.
Mr. Obama believes unequivocally inAmerica’s present and future. I support his vision, but with the understanding that the destiny of African Americans cannot be left up toAmerica. A right-wing candidate voicing approval of slavery is not an isolated phenomenon. Slavery is palatable to those benefitting from an alarming prison pipeline, those waging war on unions and those who inhumanely exploit foreign workers.
ManyU.S.citizens devalue African-American life, as well as dispute the actual existence of our culture, while simultaneously usurping our language idioms, music, dance and other artifacts and discrediting other achievements; think Susan Rice, Rhodes Scholar.
I grieve for America’s continual insult to Hispanics, understanding that, aligned with much of humanity, many Mexicans and Dominicans abhor their African origins. When asked what Africans contributed to civilization, we might reply with Dubois, Garvey, Woodson, Frazier, Clark, Van Sertima and Science Magazine: Africans contributed civilization.
At present, my concerns for Africa stem from Chinese incursion and control of oil resources, ethnic cleansing by Muslim militants and persistence ofSouth Africa’s economic disparities, which should all figure in projections for Diasporan futures. Francecontinues economic persecution ofHaiti, theUnited Statessells (likely) genetically modified bananas toJamaica, even though bananas are an indigenous crop.
The umbrage taken at these countries’ wresting their independence is akin to the unilateral slaughter of East St. Louisans’ in 1917 who dared resist attack by rampaging whites.
Slaveholder Thomas Jefferson may be inimitably quotable, but one might have his number with regard to forcible rape of a 14-year-old. Lincoln’s white supremacy is a matter of historical record. During my Methodist upbringing inWebster Groves, we sang, “Faith of Our Fathers.” I have no idea who we were referencing.
I remain, amid exhilarating forward movement, Orthodox Black, that Old Time Religion.
Ruth-Miriam Garnett is author of a novel, Laelia (Simon & Schuster 2004). Her most recent book is Concerning Violence, New & Selected Poems (Onegin 2010). A novel, Chloe’s Grief, will be published in 2013. Contact LataleWestley@aol.com.
