In the last stanza of the poem, still I rise, by Maya Angelou, she writes, “Bringing forth the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the hope and the dream of the slave” There are some people who spend their lives trying to be the hope and the dream of the slave. They work hard, get an education and become a progressive part of American society. Unfortunately, there are also those who are virtual nightmares; people who are concerned with dwelling on negativity, and hatred. I am the descendant of a twelve year old slave, who came here in the mid 1800’s to South Carolina by way of Barbados. She worked lived in a place called Cherokee plantation, in Cherokee South Carolina. The place no longer exists but the stories of her, yet live on. My grandmother often told us of how her hair was so matted when she arrived until, they had to cut it all off, and shared the fables of Bro. Rabbit, and Bro’ Fox. We would sit in a circle and listen to everything she had to share and from it, we learned that the past was a very difficult and hateful time period. However, we also learned that we descended from a strong, proud woman who wanted all of us to enjoy the freedom, that did not exist for her, until she was very old.With each generation, my family took those stories and remembered them, for what they were worth, and added accomplishment to honor our ancestor.

There are many people, like myself whose ancestors were sold into slavery. A Mtdna study of my maternal ancestry revealed that my grandmothers heritage, originated in Angola. A country whose people were captured by a maurauding African tribe called the Imbangala, who profited from selling slaves. When in America, my grandmother was owned by a member of the Cherokee Nation and eventually married into the tribe. Slavery is much more complex than white boogey men, showing up in Africa to steal black people. It was very complex and very economic. How can one hold America to blame, and not acknowledge Ghana, Angola, Spain, and Portugal, amongst others responsible? Everyone seems to have an answer but most of it is illogical, emotional racist banter with no grounds in truth. let’s be honest, everyone was out to make a dollar, and our ancestors were in the midst of the deal. But what would our ancestors, many of which held strong christian beliefs, think about our holding a one sided grudge, against anyone with white skin, for atrocities committed against them and not us. More than likely, they probably would look at us in the same way, the Depression Era generation looked at us; as a bunch of lazy, whiners and opportunists. In fact, those are the words my own grandmother used to describe people she passed on the way to work, holding up the walls of the liquor store.

We can sit and blame the system, and the white man for our failures but how do you explain the disparity? If all of us, were so effected by slavery, How do we explain the success of many of the successful, and rich pioneers and innovators, who are descended from slaves. I’m talking about people like Madame CJ Walker, who was actually born to slaves, and became a self-made millionaire and possibly first female millionaire in the United States, during the 1800’s? This woman lived through Jim Crow, probably witnessed lynchings, and had no affirmative action. What makes us so different? Why are regurgitating stories of rapes, lynchings, beatings and oppression to justify their own failures in a society that rewards innovation, and invention? I’d like to think that if people who were born to slaves, were able to garner up the strength and ingenuity to survive in the face of oppression than their grandchildren should somehow be able to do the same. We have somehow fallen behind the power curve and it has nothing to do with slavery.

Nowadays, it is in fashion to be a victim. Somehow has come along and disrupted the work of the people of color, who proceeded us and kicked down the doors in the midst of burning crosses, nooses, dogs and real racists. Our job was to continue kicking down the doors, not stop and live behind our skin. No one owes us a darn thing but a swift kick in the pants for apathy, poor citizenship, and failing to take advantage of opportunities.