Why us black people are the guardians of our history
Black history month was a short while ago and I always enjoy seeing the material – social media, articles, books. Just hearing stories about our people never fails to remind me of what a strong blessed people we are.
Our black heroines blazing a trail
Yes I know Black history is not just for a day or a month- we must celebrate it all the time. For me that was one of the reasons to start Afrowoman Online – a place to focus of black women today but to also freely talk about our black heroines who have blazed a trail for us.
This makes me think again that there are still white people, especially those who are rich and have no connection to black people, who do not see our history as important. These are the people who often think black people are making a fuss about nothing when we talk about slavery or question why we are sometimes still treated like nothing.
Our history is still dishonoured
Why am I saying this now? I saw the article in the media, where a movie studio boss wanted Julia Roberts to act as Harriet Tubman in a movie. Harriet who led so many slaves to freedom. A woman who went on the run and risked her life repeatedly to set her people free. I struggle to understand how anyone could think that Julia Roberts could portray Harriet?
I have nothing against Julia Roberts but thinking it’s ok to ‘water down’ black history and use a white woman to portray a black woman icon is disgusting.
Our culture and history is too valuable, too precious to be ‘edited’ to white standards and remove our black faces from our stories.
This makes me think again that there are still white people, especially those who are rich and have no connection to black people, who do not see our history as important. These are the people who often think black people are making a fuss about nothing when we talk about slavery or question why we are sometimes still treated like nothing.
Honouring our history
This is why we, black people must respect, honour and protect our history. It is for us to tell our stories. To keep our pride in where we have come from. Our slave legacy often creates a sense of shame – shame that we were not free and are still affected by it in so many ways today. I truly believe that we should not be ashamed but extremely proud of how our people survived – with intelligence and creativity. The strength that we have is unmatched because of the brutality our slave ancestors were able to survive.
So this brings me back to the Harriet movie. Yes we need our stories to be told, but us black people must protect our history to ensure white society cannot water down the very essence of who we are, to make money. Our culture and history is too valuable, too precious to be ‘edited’ to white standards and remove our black faces from our stories.
We owe it to Harriet Tubman and to every black person today to keep us at the centre of our stories. Telling our stories from a place of truth is the only way to honour, respect and protect our history. Harriet and all of our slave ancestors deserve this.
#Afrowomanonline #Thrive&Strive #Blackwomenrising #Stayblessed
