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Black History Month: The Empowerment of Voices for Democratic Equality
“Tolerance like any aspect of peace,
Is forever a work in progress,
Never completed,
And if we’re intelligent as we like to
Think we are,
Never abandoned.”
Octivia Butler
In the month of February, also known as Black History Month, it is a moment in time that goes beyond
the recognition and acknowledge of past and present decades of a celebratory occasion to honor the moral, creative intelligentsias, and courageous freedom riders journey of African Americans and its people all across on the continent of Africa.
From Selma Alabama, to the Western Ivory Coast of Africa, voices of freedom and we shall overcome were significant voices and talented overtures that extolled their human desires to change and produce remarkable results in their quest for a free and open society.
There were countless African Americans voices who marched without fear for freedom, justice and equality. Courageous and faithful souls of conscience such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Huey Lewis, El Ridge Clever. Fred Hampton, Rosa Parks, John Lewis, and Jessie Jackson all united people of conscience and the list goes on and on.
Unfortunately, many of these brave, courageous and intellectual freedom fighters who lived their life for the vital freedom and empowerment of African Americans were unjustifiably murdered to silence their voices of Black leadership and Black power to the people.
One might ask, what did they want and why?
Their answers laid the groundwork for what all people need and desire.
“End the ongoing brutality of African Americans,
Food and shelter,
Ensure health services,
Housing
Full employment
Equal opportunities
End segregation.
How ironic, that it has been well over 60 years that many African Americans could not be totally free in a system that oppressors them. And in the 21st century many dramatic events such as in Ferguson, St. Luis, as well as in other unreported cities in the U.S. has exposed its unresolved factual history that repeats its spiralling discriminatory racist and bias trails.
African American history month is a time to pay tribute and embrace the courageous voices, deeds and moral ideals of the past and present abolitionists, human and social rights activists and voices for freedom who either came before or after Sojourner Truth, Zora Neale Hurston, the Black Panthers, Angela Davis,
Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Paul Dunbar and the thousands of “Hands Up” and Not in My Name,” national movements that embrace equality, freedom, and civil justice, as they continue to galvanize and unite a worldly paradigm of moral and idealistic human values of tolerance and justice.
African history month is a moment in time to reflect on the astonishing achievements and humane attributes of African Americans and the Kings and Queens of Africa who made a difference in political, economic and social change in the African homeland.
Equally important, while being mostly overlooked by many westerners today during Black history month, are the many visual signs and depictions of centuries old African cultural art and its valued Islamic identity and beliefs that encapsulates the undistorted beliefs of Islam. The factual meaning of Islam to faithful Muslim believers is distinctly relayed in one Quranic verse in particular.
For example, if one travels to Tunisia, and visit’s the Jara Mosque in Gabes, one Islamic verse is painted in Arabic calligraphy on its minaret. It reads,“Oh mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other.” African history month is a time to continue the ’we shall overcome’ phrase of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In the last two and half centuries. the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights, held the light to the flicking candle of freedom and equality for all. African American artists, poets, singers and writers, all ignited the flame of the burning candle of freedom. Artists such, as Langston Hughes, was not only an intellectual but a poet whose writings spoke on behalf of the common man, his dreams, democracy, culture, love and the courage of survival of everyday people from the rural south to the urban cities, even about things that weren’t to pleasant such as death and dying. Hughes’ poetic verses were depictions of universal dreams.
The candle still glistens with a light on deferred dreams, and hope for freedom and
democracy during African history month with the empowerment of ongoing voices of
justice and equality. It has been over 60 years since Langston Hughes wrote these poetic visually words on an unfilled freedom and democracy.
Hughes’ words continues to echo loudly and lives on during African history month. And may we always recognize and salute the zenith pillars of African American and Africans who never eclipsed their passion for justice, freedom and equality.
Democracy
Democracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.
I have as much right
As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.
I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day.
I do not need my freedom when I’m dead.
I cannot live on tomorrow’s bread.
Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.
I live here, too.
I want freedom
Just as you.
Langston Hughes
Poet and social activist
Born Feb. 1, 1902 – Died May 22, 1967
Leila Diab
Special to Arab America