Every February, America turns aside to honor the history of African Americans. Invariably the question arises concerning the need for this time of remembering and celebrating. Is this set aside block of time really necessary? Absolutely! The nature of our lives and times demand it.
Those of us who claim to be Judaeo-Christians are admonished: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” Of course, this instruction is to Jews regarding the history of Israel, but it is a good charge for every people. We must keep our history alive and present so that lessons learned will never be forgotten. Necessary? Absolutely!
All of America but especially African Americans must remember and celebrate how we have survived the struggle. The wreckage of what is believed to be the Clotilda, the last slave ship, was found on the coast of the Mobile Delta and tells the story of the middle passage. Lives lost and others who survived, have descendants who still live in the region of the discovery. Its speaks of struggle and survival. We sing, “We have come over a way that with tears have been watered. ”
As we view the struggle for civil rights, we are bought to tears. Our hearts are made to bleed and we weep, as we recall the contributions of those who could not claim their inventor’s rights because of the color of their skin.
Our recanting of our struggle for survival, all things considered in our history, speaks of the resilience of a people. The Philadelphia Eagles to a man after winning last week’s Superbowl talked about the resilience of their team. Never giving up. Standing tall in the face of adversities Defying the odds. So, it is with the history of Black Americans. The lives of the fallen and the stories of their successes remind us of our resilience.
Those of us who now remember and celebrate know that ours is not a finished story. Our current pain drives us to purpose. The struggle continues. Our lives do matter. We must not forget to continue to press for what is naturally ours. Voices from our past bellow, “Keep Hope Alive.” Battles have been fought and victories won but we must continue to work our faith with the words ringing in our ears, “deep in our hearts, we do believe. We shall overcome someday.”
