(ThyBlackMan.com) Do we really know what the past was, what actually happened, or is history “a fable” not quite “agreed upon”? Our knowledge of any past event is always incomplete, probably inaccurate, beclouded by ambivalent evidence and biased historians, and perhaps distorted by our own patriotic or religious partisanship. “Most history is guessing, and the rest is prejudice.” Which brings us to a question about Black History and African-American History…is there a difference? And the only answer that should matter is the one tendered by African-Americans and NO ONE else.
If it’s left up to white historians the answer would be a resounding no there isn’t any difference. The ruling class objective…isn’t to bring black people closer together…but rather extract the unity from us. The truth of our condition is that those that can shrewdly indoctrinate thoughts into our collective minds that serves their nefarious interest are doing so as a means of protecting white dominance. Black people are constantly inundated with fraudulent negative information about themselves that’s designed to create Black self-hatred, self-doubt and disunity.
Unequivocally, African-American history is the part of American history that looks at the African-American ethnic group in the United States, correcting the misrepresentations, and stereotypes of Black life throughout the country, and vindicating African-
Americans by celebrating our extraordinary achievements as Americans. Most African-Americans are the descendants of Africans forcibly brought to and held captive in the United States from 1525 to 1863* (or early 1960s*).
The term Black History encompasses African history, the Caribbean and South America as well, not just African-Americans, and as supposedly liberated men and women we should have no problem acknowledging the difference, regardless how others may try to control the narrative. The [white lie] of both African-America history and Black History devaluing black people in general must not go unchallenged. African-American History is ancillary to Black History it’s imperative that African-Americans know the difference and not be in denial.
Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History…not the U.S. government…announced the second week of February to be “Negro History Week.” In 1976, when Black History Month was officially acknowledged by the U.S. government, and President Gerald Ford gave a very brief speech it resonated with paternalism. Which raises a question, are we a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced because we love servitude?
Black History…which is connected to Ancient Egypt…doesn’t begin with slavery; whereas, African-American History does and to allow the oppressor to get away with trying to intertwine the two histories as one is tantamount to mental ineptness lacking the fortitude to either think for ourselves or the intestinal fortitude to stand up and define our own reality. The intent is to keep us scared, to keep us subdued. Stop being scared, start standing up! You cannot enslave a mind that knows itself, values itself, and understands itself. We as African Americans need to initiate some critical thinking and stop believing the same BS that was forced upon our enslaved ancestors? They had no choice of the falsehoods they were made to believe, but today we are supposed to be free with access to all sort of computerized information. No longer is it necessary for us to believe as our enslaved ancestors were intimidated to, we should be doing our own research.
Often-times an argument is made that enslaved Africans didn’t come from Egypt but from West Africa therefore no connection. Yet, American and World History teaches that Greece and Rome are the Cradle of Western Civilization, which has nothing to do with most white people, but they lay claim to the cultures anyway. White people have their history, heritage and culture and it begins with Greece and Rome, the Black race also has its history, heritage and culture and it commences with Ancient Egypt.
Servitude ignorance is the highest form of mental slavery; if we insist on conforming to a world full of lies, we don’t have the right to complain about intimidation…as we never fought back…instead we let it go on. Your failure to think for and govern yourself gives oppressors permission to rule over you.
Anyone who is convinced his or her past is empty, backward, shameful or, indeed, totally negative, will normally resist any attempt to revisit that past. Such a person will have no lucid identity, despise self, and have no real awareness of his/her culture and heritage. This same person will refuse to consciously participate in or relate to any cultural customs and will resist any attempt to validate any [facts] discovered. They remain in darkness, the sunken place, helpless, and dependent, which is why so many succumb to embracing the N-word n**ga/n**ger.
Some people contend that black people were present on this land when Columbus supposedly arrived. To that I say…let’s do our due diligence…connect the dots and see what kind of shape it takes, and not assume there’s nothing to it. Most African- Americans have no clue what “The Moorish-American Treaty of Peace Friendship of 1787” was all about and its significance to African-Americans and how it may shed some light on things. Does the “Burrows Cave” mean anything? Supposedly it serves as a link to Africans arriving in America approximately 1500 years before Columbus. This and other clues could very well provide enough dots to connect and see what shape materializes.
In Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1964 speech “I have a Dream” he states that “the Negro finds himself exiled in his own land.” What was behind this comment? Was it just a trivial comment or was there some esoteric meaning behind it?
The African-American population owes it to self and their forefathers to unearth the truth. Black African-Americans have been bamboozled and hoodwinked long enough. To determine a real future for Black America, the entire race of people must learn about and embrace their past far back across the waters to use that as a foundation and a source of life for future progress. African-Americans must not wait to learn about Black history when it is convenient for the rest of America, but must become owners of their own enlightenment, keepers of their own achievements, and missionaries of their own salvation.
Americans in general are constantly subjected to images of a war-torn, famine-ridden, rampantly illiterate, and disease-stricken Africa. These deplorable depictions of Africa displaying only its poorest communities are in fact designed to make African-Americans feel grateful that their ancestors were enslaved and bought to America, therefore, they’re the lucky ones to have been taken away from the backwardness of Africa. Many countries in Africa have beautiful contemporary cities but seldom are these cities given exposure by mainstream media.
This psychological subterfuge and chicanery is extended to Black students during their educational development wherein they’re taught they have no significant history beyond the enslavement of their ancestors; most are mis-educated to respect and admire white culture and achievements above their own. Movies depicting mostly white heroes have the same psychological affect.
The antithesis is actor Danny Glover when he presented his script about the Haitian Revolution to Hollywood was turned down because there were no white heroes. The Haitian Revolution is significant and requires the attention of all African-Americans for without it there wouldn’t have been any freeing of the slaves in 1863. This is an illustration of how attempts are made to keep African-Americans dumbed down about Black History, and to embrace Eurocentrism.
African Americans must consciously and sub-consciously understand that what we are taught in public schools isn’t for our benefit but is what serves the best interest of the oppressor. History translates into “his-story”—the way one understands or interprets history from his or her own perspective to his or her own benefit. Today, African-Americans are living witnesses as to how both real Black History and African-American History have been—by “his-story”—distorted, misleading, deceptive and mind controlling.
Evidence all around the world suggests that Black civilizations were far more advanced than what’s portrayed to the black community by the oppressor. The ruling class and others want African-Americans to believe that the Black race past is limited to huts, spears and jungle life with no trace of civility, culture, organization, and self-sufficiency. Research exposes this narrative as a gross fabrication.
We must become more proactive in disseminating the truth among ourselves…especially with our youth. We have a choice…the tumultuousness of liberty…or the quiet of servitude, there is no gray area, it’s either one or the other.
Staff Writer; H. Lewis Smith
This talented brother is the founder and president of UVCC, the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc., http://www.theunitedvoices.com author of Bury that Sucka: A Scandalous Love Affair with the N-Word, and the recently released book Undressing the N-word: Revealing the Naked Truth, Lies, Deceit and Mind Games https://www.createspace.com/4655015
Also follow Mr. Smith on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thescoop1.
