Unclaimed wonders
Deep breaths in the cold reminds us of the oxygen within our lungs. The frost of the winter slows the blood flow to maintain warmth. Eventually, the body adapts to the drop in temperature. Your extremities will require less blood, a sacrifice for the vital organs. At 35 degrees celsius, the body begins to experience mild hypothermia. Severe hypothermia increases the risk of organ damage and other permanent medical issues. A simple solution for hypothermia is to warm the body fast.
If all problems people face had such simple solutions, how bright would the future be?
Born and raised on a plantation, the likelihood that you’ll recognize your condition as unjust is slim to none. Many slaves inherited the chained mentality and accepted it as natural. The conditions were as ordinary as the breath in their lungs. Many children born today in poverty-stricken neighborhoods accept their conditions as the standard of all life. The sounds of the song sung in the hot fields carried life and hope to the enslaved.
Today the sounds of death in the halls of music studios drain imagination and strength from the disenfranchised. The bonds of family relationships were stripped away by force to maintain a state of despair among the ranks of human property. A slave’s proper place is under the rule of the tyrant. In the current climate of familial struggles, unity amongst black households remained chained to destruction.
Can events that happened hundreds of years ago still affect people today?
Historians, scholars, and modern-day philosophers have researched and concluded the long-lasting effects of generational bondage. From the political voice to the economic foundations, the conditions that slavery created impacted both blacks and whites. The equation remains unresolved as the relationships among fellow citizens are strained and tense with every potential interaction.
Disparities in communities across America are apparent when the average young black household net worth is $600. White American households have an average net worth of $25k. According to the Federal Reserve, the differences in wealth are glaringly obvious.
Post-slavery conditions for black Americans have thoroughly been examined to understand how the bridge across hundreds of years lasted this long. Let’s search for a creative solution-based approach to this dark cloud floating above.
With little experience of hope in their youth, children of the ghetto breed contempt for themselves and anyone seemingly more prosperous. While on the contrary, many slaves shared the spoils of their homes to ensure the collective survived. The success of the individual was the success of the whole.
The stomach-knotting hunger eats at the ability to function. Lacking adequate education reinforces the disdain for knowledge. These are the daily struggles facing black American youth in today’s society. Reflecting on the policies and laws that damned any black soul for reading, it’s not difficult to see how the desire to learn still holds a stigma of causing trouble.
Let’s take a look at the areas of the black experience that are still reflective of the damage we need to undo.
Cultural corrosion
From the shores of Africa and other melanated countries to America, the black expression of life is often vibrant. The thrill of the drum soothes the soul. Music has always been a part of the culture of the black experience in America; Jazz, Blues, Rap, R&B soul, etc. Historically, music was a saving grace for many enslaved blacks. The ability to belt out hymns and communicate inspired many with the courage to fight. Culturally, music allowed generations to pass the torch ceremoniously. The heartbeat of a nation to survive winters in log cabins, and summer’s in the cotton fields. Bruised flesh and charred spirits filled the land, yet the unwillingness to die allowed many captives to create culture.
Their songs provided hope, while their damaged fingers endured a grueling workload. With the family structure unstable, all the people who worked in the fields became extended families. The tradition of their home continent grew vague by the minute. Slave owner’s deconstructed the identity of slaves to rebuild the perfect conforming mindless worker. Unable to contain the spirit of man, the slave owners often forced slaves to perform demeaning tasks to instill the power dynamic.
Constantly reminded of the conditions forced upon them, slaves developed whatever semblance of respectable life they could. Whether they created gourmet delicacies from scraps, or invented tools that enhanced the life of a slave, new cultural norms were taking form. Self-motivated slaves began to teach others. Slowly the ways of their home continent resurfaced. Through the continued degradation of their existence, slaves reluctantly integrated with this new system of America.
Their native tongue soon became a distant memory. The history of the warriors, kings, and communities also vanished slowly. The need to survive quickly became the priority. Decade after decade of torment and torturous conditions the will of people hollowed out. Freedom fighters became mythical, and many slaves feared even mentioning the thought.
As wind and time erode the strongest of rocks, so too can words unravel the soul. Battered by greed, and belittled by the most primitive elements of human nature, the spirit of a nation slowly withered away.
A new wave of tradition birthed and educated generations about their place in society.
From the slave plantations of the south to the modern-day ghettos, mothers have developed the traditional dreaded; yet necessary conversation of how to survive in the presence of their captors.
Culturally, the de-evolution of the Africans, and later African Americans have largely rippled throughout the decades. Taught to avoid risk at all costs inherently built a submissive and docile future for up-and-coming generations.
Appropriate Application
Beyond the clouds of mist from the morning dew rises the hope of rain. As generations educate themselves on the memories that lay tormented in the hallowed graves, a new sense of culture can awaken. As opinions sway with every new piece of information discovered and dissected, so does the black experience.
The diversity of the black experience is constant.
For the culture of blacks to emerge from the jaded history of slavery, the collective conscience must endure the spectrum of experience. Even in a state of disagreement, the culture can emerge renewed.
I believe traditions like black history month are vital to unearthing all stories buried beneath the fog of power. Many may debate the validity of such a tradition, but can we debate that historically most cultures have specific periods in which they honor their ancestors?
With no particular way to experience America as a black citizen, honoring the deaths and sacrifices of our ancestral heritage is nutrition for the cultural soul. Standing with dignity and pride in accomplishments that advance the culture inspires the individual to face the isms which create obstacles along any journey.
So the next time you have a conversation about black culture and what it means, ask yourself one question, who are the ancestors I look to for guidance?
Is it Marcus Garvey, and you see black culture as self-determining?
Is it Harriet Tubman, and you see black culture as fearless?
Whoever you decide, please remember that you’re responsible for passing on their legacy and encouraging future generations to add to the culture!
