Over time in the history of a people their recollections tend to become a little fuzzy…their memories a little blurred…which is why when we teach history every story must be heard.
What if you are happy and peacefully living in your country…then one day you’re rounded up like cattle….put upon a ship sent across the ocean and sold on a block like chattle?
What if you had no choice…no chance to agree or disagree?
What if your wife, your children…your entire family was sold off…separately?
What if you were made to work in households…on plantations…now called a slave?
What if there was a good chance this plantation would one day be your grave?
What if those who ‘owned’ you kept you chained, restrained…confined?
What if you were whipped and beaten if you dared to speak your mind?
What if one day you were ‘freed’ and you thought a new life you’d begin
only to be mistreated and abused because of the color of your skin?
What if the way you were treated befuddled and confused you?
What if they erected statues to to the very people who abused you?
What if the schools who teach our children decided as a general rule….
that these stores…your history…should not be taught in school?
Because anyone who looks at your history…has no choice but to abhor it…
But there are people who..instead of discussing what occurred…choose rather to ignore it.
But you know if all lives truly matter you must be brave…you must be bold…and these stories no matter how horrific they are to hear…these stories must be told.
They must be taught and discussed in homes and schools…for isn’t it absurd…to think we could evolve as humans…as a people…without these stories being heard.