Saturday, February 28, 2009

Without True Black History, There Would Be No WORLD History

Without True Black History, there would be no WORLD History... much less American History (North, South, Caribbean). True Black History is not only a history of Resistance & Struggle. It is also a history that reveals that capitalism was shaped by it... from its very inception. It is a history that reveals that European culture was shaped by it from its very inception.

Black History is a way of exposing the TRUTH about Humanity's journey to Now. What we should be celebrating/remembering/passing on is the inextricable link between the history and struggles of African Peoples- captive and free- and the evolution of US History/ Civilization and World History/Civilizations. Not promoting a history of assimilation into a beastly culture as the Tuckers of the world get trotted out to spew and legitimize.

We can no longer separate from the US or any other part of the Americas as we can separate from our melanin: we are in and of the Americas... just like we are in and of Africa. We are that dualness that Dubois spoke over over a hundred years ago... but now even more so. This does not mean that we have to embrace assimilation and submit ourselves to whims of whitefiolks and capitalism. This means that we recognize we were capital producing capital with our bodies, brains and wombs....This means that at the very core of our ancestors' daily existence was resistance and struggle so powerful that it shaped nations and economies the world over.

So... it is not about getting into white history books. True Black History ERASES those white history books. White supremacy ideas and policies get exposed for our children and the world to see when True Black History is taught and studied.

Black History Week was a political and psychological weapon used by Carter G Woodson and others to counter the in-your-face-racism Black encountered everyday of their lives in the early part of the 20th Century. Black History Month today- right now -must have the same purpose because in-your-face-racism is still here along with a deeper in-your-mind-racism never dreamed of by Brother Woodson. We use this month's celebration and commemoration to recruit and rejuvenate. Recruit even more of our people into understanding that Black History IS World History and a history of Resistance and Struggle for Liberation and Self Determination. Rejuvenate those of us who are weary of the Struggle to Be Free... and, in turn, rejuvenate our organizing and institution-building efforts.

If we celebrate Our History of Resistance and Struggle in this manner, the rest of the year will be about applying what we have learned from our ancestors' unrelenting quest for Liberation... and making them beam with pride.

In Struggle,
Sam Anderson
Feb2009