We the people, 12.4% of the United States population have come a long way from bondage, movements in the 1960s to now. Whatever position that seems to be, members in the Black community argue that since the days when we struggled for freedom, rights, and respect, we really haven’t progressed. The so-called leaders of the new school don’t have or deserve nearly as much respect as Dr. Martin L. King Jr. or Malcolm X. In different aspects, these brothers opened our eyes to the potential not many of us knew we had.
The over 400 years of oppression in slavery molded the Black race into becoming who we are. Not the finger snapping, neck rolling “Flavor of Love” contestants we see, but the strong, determined, powerful people no one seems to notice unless they appear on “MTV Cribs.”
Black women endured numerous accounts of abuse from their masters only to broadcast not knowing the paternity of their child on national television and half naked desirable women on every single music video.
Black men worked sun up to sun down with the constant threat of the overseers whip only be sure to own the latest number available in J’s and 24.”
Although the Civil Rights era was only as long ago as our parent’s childhood, we seem to forget the fight that allowed us to be free. The dogs, water hoses, KKK, and countless lynching did not keep us from one day reaching the dream. Rosa Parks fought for a seat in the front of the bus, but we deliberately sit in the back.
People we don’t even know were thrown in jail, beaten, and even died so that we could vote, eat where we’d like, and be respected when now we aren’t even aware of an election, don’t care to eat in restaurants, and cannot even respect ourselves.
We spent too long fighting the same fight and society needs to understand that the fight is long from being over. That may be a possibility considering that we are still not free. Our minds are still being held captive by flashy suits in entertainment, drug abuse, deadbeat fathers, being uneducated and living with eyes wide shut. One would think that we finally earned the respect we deserved by observing Black History Month.
The one month of twelve which contains the least amount of days. Our ancestors dreamed of a day for us. A day where we would overcome our hardships and inequities. We shall overcome, one day we hope.