I’m Just Spoiled

Where do I get off thinking life is hard? I just saw Harriet and re-watched Ruby Bridges. One was a slave and the other was one of the first children to integrate schools. I’ve seen a lot of hate, but I have never seen anything like that. I don’t think I’ve ever knowingly stared at such hatred and evil in my everyday life.

So, where do I come off talking about how hard life is? Life is a cakewalk compared to what they’ve seen.

Where do I have any right to complain about anything? Every day Christians are being persecuted and executed. People are being killed for things I do every day. People were killed and persecuted for things I do every day.

So, as embarrassing as it is, and should be, I have to recognize my selfishness. I have to realize what’s true. That I have tough times for my day and age. That there are some days that are harder than others. But if I were to seriously think about the past, and how it could be, I believe I’d think differently.

So the changeable, but ugly truth, is that life isn’t that hard. In realistic comparisons to Harriet and other slaves, or Ruby and other leaders, life isn’t hard for me, I’m just spoiled.

Frederick Douglass – Intelligent

Intelligent – having or showing intelligence, especially of a high level.

Frederick Douglass is one of the most well-known human rights leaders in the anti-slavery movement and the first African-American citizen to hold a high U.S. government rank. He is also a famed author and orator.

Born into slavery around 1818, Douglass was selected to live in the home of his plantation owners, one of whom they say could have been his father. Eventually Frederick was sent to Hugh Auld’s Baltimore home, which is where he learned to read and write. Auld forbade his wife from teaching Frederick anymore, but he continued to have a zeal for learning.

Later, Douglass became an abolitionist as well as a women’s rights activist. He published three versions of his autobiography during his lifetime. He also produced some abolitionist newspapers: The North Star, Frederick Douglass Weekly, Frederick Douglass’ Paper, Douglass’ Monthly and New National Era. In 1848, he was the only African American to attend the first women’s rights convention in New York.

When I think of Frederick Douglass I think of intelligence. Is there any surprise why?

One and God make the majority. – Frederick Douglass

Ode to Black History

Just like Maya

I wish I could write

I wish my words

Would inspire others to join the fight

 

Like Harriet

I wish I was brave

I’d be so legit

Leading to freedom, today’s modern slaves

 

I wish I could dream

Like Langston or Martin

I’d come up with great things

To have a part in

 

And if I was bold

Like Angela Davis

I’d be like Sojourner Truth

I’d be courageous

 

Or maybe I’d want to be immovable

Like Rosa Parks

I’d want even my sitting

To light a spark

 

Or what if I could speak

Like Mr. Frederick Douglass

I’d be able to voice the truth

For so many of us

 

And if like W.E.B. DuBois or Carter G. Woodson

I was smart

I would know where to end

I would know where to start

 

Yet if I was like Hattie McDaniel

I’d play my part

I’d create and cultivate

I’d perfect my art

 

If I were a strong leader like Malcolm

With the influence of Martin

Maybe I would soften some hearts

That have been hardened

 

But even if I’m just Chanel

With limitations

I can still do my part

To motivate this nation

 

If black history

Means so much to me

I’d put into practice

All that I could be

 

I’d learn from their examples

And I’d do my best

I would be who that had in mind

When they were on their quests