This blog post may be a little different for some of my readers, but please hear me out. Conversations are important. Please read my perspective and if you choose to respond to me or anyone else who comments, do so in love (Ephesians 4:15).
Let us begin. There are people in America who believe discussing the history of enslaved Africans is damaging and divisive to the nation. From this perspective, we must tread lightly, or rather skip that part altogether and get on with the good parts like Presidents' Day, MLK Day, Juneteenth, and Independence Day; the days off, fireworks, and backyard barbecues. Let's not educate, let's just celebrate! In this post, I want to do two things:
explain the importance of remembering and educating ourselves on the slave perspective
invite you to read my perspective on my new publication "Bible, Books, and Blackness: a Christian black woman's perspective on books" (FYI: You will still receive blogs from Your Book Journey, LLC at least once a month, which will center around faith and writing.)
Deuteronomy 6:7- Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness...
So here's my soapbox statement: We can't celebrate America without remembering and discussing the enslavement of black people. In fact, America would not be America without the slave trade. To discuss American history's most lucrative business and leave out the sin of the slave owner and the suffering of the slave is absurd. When people insist that we exclude the atrocities of slavery from our American history so as not to make people uncomfortable, my response is always what does history have to do with your comfort level?
Deuteronomy 32:7- Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you.
Slavery happened in America, and we shouldn't act as if it didn't. It is imperative that every citizen and individual living in this country learn about what really happened to generations of African people who were brought here against their will. These nameless men, women, and children should be memorialized. We should not forget their suffering. We should not forget their pain. We must not forget the hate that was the catalyst to such horrendous acts as severing families and beating human beings to death. What we do not remember, we repeat.
Exodus 13:3- Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place...
Besides, we remember, recognize, and learn about every other foundational historical event and the people connected to them. To tell the stories of Robert E. Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and all the others whose names are tied to the success of this country by way of the slave trade without telling the stories of the black and African men, women, and children whose blood, sweat, and tears are the very fabric of "the land of the free and the home of the brave" would be an offense to the truth.
And we must preserve the truth. It reminds me of the prophets and psalmists of the Old Testament who repeatedly said to the Israelites:
Remember...do not forget.
Remember...do not forget.
Remember...do not forget.
In America, we celebrate for the sake of celebrating, but for the Israelites of old, the whole reason for the celebration was to remember. Every joyous occasion was met with stories of the past, the good, the bad, and the ugly because it was all about remembering Jehovah Nissi, our Deliverer.
John the revelator and a new testament prophet, said it this way in Revelations 2:5 & 3:3, "Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place unless you repent." "So remember what you have received and heard, and keep it, and repent."
Isaiah 46: 9- remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me...
Let us remember, receive, keep, and repent so that we do not repeat the same sins of the founding fathers. As you celebrate each American holiday, please take a moment to remember the enslaved men, women, and children whose stolen freedom made America great. Better yet, don't just celebrate, educate!
If you enjoyed this post subscribe to my publication, Bible, Books, and Blackness.
S.N. I will discuss books of different genres from authors of different backgrounds and ethnicities.
This month in Bible, Books, and Blackness, I will discuss 3 books I' read in honor of Juneteenth:
Join me @ ymspeaks.substack.com!
Powerful and true. Every story untold is a story that will be forgotten. Yvonne every word rings true. We celebrate how far we have come but must remember those who laid the ground work. Tell their story.....