Reading about a tragedy is tragic; but try physically placing yourself in the spot where the tragedy occurred. Scary right? Try writing down the first 3 words that come to your head when you hear the word slave: lynching, plantation, chambers. Our history is so sugar-coated, it’s annoying, however, we are fully aware about what happened on this beautiful, yet dark piece of land. Secluded trees for lynchings, stepping foot on the plantation itself, climbing in what was this small, hard-to-stand-up-in box made specifically for “keeping slaves”. To know that my kind died in these boxes is what almost brought up my croissant and banana breakfast. I could not stomach the thought of touching the walls which once witnessed the wretched events that took place on this land.
To see so many “warehouses” and “factories”, whose name was given so nonchalantly, triggered emotions I never would have thought I would have by simply reading a book. I closed my eyes and I could smell death. I could smell fear and misery. My heart ached for these “workers” who were treated less than people. I could see brown humans scurrying to get their work done so they would not be yelled at. I could hear the gunshots and the cries of families when one of their own was taken from them. Do you get all of this from a book? I think not. I am not even sure if one would get it from my thoughts.
I looked at the trees which had aerial roots hanging from them. Sound familiar? Strange fruit once hung from those trees, and now aerial roots. Interesting. This also blew me. I looked at the roots and saw my brothers and sisters struggling as they took their last breath.
Frantz Fanon. You my friend have a goal which should be put into motion. We do not truly understand the depth of our history with details so watered-down and sugar-coated. Our history should be delivered to us the way our beatings were: straight to the point and with no mercy for our feelings.
Dear Mr. Trump,
CHANGE TEXTBOOKS!!!!!
Like, why does our history say so little about what happened to our kind? Why does yours and everyone else’s say so much? Why does it take for us to have to do our own research to find out why there are racial divides between people of all shades? Why must we debate on removing a month specifically dedicated to us because others feel “offended”? White history month is every month! Tell us about what your people did to us, and do not leave out the gory details for whatever reason seems logical to you.
June 1st tore me apart. STAY WOKE.
