"What Shall I Tell My Children?: Revisited
By Dr. Gloria Latimore-Peace
Presented by Omni-University
Today's H3O Art of Life Blog "What Shall I Tell My Children...: Revisited" is a continuation of our annual November tribute to Dr.Margaret Taylor-Goss Burroughs whom we regard as one of the Mothers of "Ourstory", our authentic African history. In the video that follows this introduction, Dr. Ghingo Brooks, Former President of Malcolm X College and Dr. Harold Pates, Former President of Kennedy- King College, respond to the charge Dr. Burroughs has put before us in "What Shall I Tell Our Children Who Are Black...?"[1]
Obviously, the first assertion that must be made is that we are the Black descendants of African people. Our identity thus established, we must continue to teach our children, and our community as well, not only "what it means to be a captive", but also of what it means to be defined as a "commodity".
What it means to be a "captive in this dark skin" is that our ancestors have been taken by force against their will, and imprisoned in a state of captivity, i.e., robbed of their freedom, for over 400 years - the Emancipation Proclamation notwithstanding.[2] "...[C]ommodification is the transformation of goods, services, ideas, personal information, nature, and people into commodities or objects of trade."[3]
What it means to be redefined as a "commodity" -an object that is subject to be "traded"- is to be regarded as and, therefore, treated as any other manufactured Item, i.e. bought and sold in the marketplace. But, as heinous as this "crime against humanity" was and is, even greater suffering was inflicted upon our ancestors and to all their succeeding progeny: We have been/are being "Deancestralized"!
In his book, "Education: A Commentary on the Importance of African Identity in the Survival of African American People", Dr. Harold Pates not only frames this dilemma, but he also illustrates it with an "Identity Table" in which he depicts the "Deancestralization of the African" From 1416-2016 Commodification From Chattel Slavery to Domestic Colonialism From Plantation to Corporation/ Economic Culture.
Not only was the labor of our Ancestors stolen, but our Ancestors themselves, were stolen from our kinship group, dispossessed of our ancestral land, deprived of our culture including our Mothers' tongue, and denied their potential and personhood but, in the process of their being turned into commodities, we have all been deprived of access to our ancestors: our ForeFathers and ForeMothers- our Guardian Angels, our connection to our Divinity .
Drinking "deeply from the fountain of [our] Black culture" we will "find that [we] have much to say to our Black children....We will "lift up their heads in proud blackness" as we tell them "the truth of our heritage, The truth that has been so often obscured and omitted... I believe because [we] have armed them with the truth,(our] children and [ our] children's children will venerate [us], For it is the truth that will make us free!"[4]
Blognotes [1] "Life with Margaret", by Dr. Margaret T.G Burroughs [2] A full exploration of the Emancipation Proclamation in "To Save the Blood of Black Babies", by Kiarri T.H. Cheatwood [3] Wikipedia [4]Op cit, Burroughs, "Life with Margaret"
You are invited to view, "What Shall I Tell My Children...Revisited", an H30 ART of Life Show featuring: Dr. Ghingo Brooks and Dr. Harold Pates. Please share our H30 Art of Life Blog on your social media and share your comments with us.