This post could go in so many different directions! I think my focus in terms of these concepts will be on the idea of creating for ourselves. My husband and I got into a discussion in the presence of my oldest son about the reasons why there are Black churches and white churches. Wow, what a conversation THAT was!!!
In many ways, I am grateful that my son has not had to experience the full and complete scourge of racism. He has only been called "the N word" one time that I know of, and that was by a Hispanic boy. That was such a complete range of emotions when I found out what happened. In so many ways, I felt glad that he didn't even know he had been insulted. Yet in other ways, I felt that I had not done enough to prepare him for such a situation. Although I would not have wanted him to knock the kids block off, I would have hoped he would have been able to impart him some information in terms of how this type of behavior and name calling was unacceptable on so many levels.
As my husband and I discussed the concept of the Black church with my son, he and I discussed two separate congregations we had attended recently. One is mostly white, of which I am a member, the other is mostly Black and where we have been visiting recently. We did discuss the differences: definitely peppier songs, a lot more respect afforded to elders, and just a different overall "feeling". My husband went on to tell my son that many of the Black churches were created by whites long ago because they did not want us to worship with them. While that is true, in many ways, they also wanted to indoctrinate many slaves in terms of "slave, obey your master", no matter what.
A powerful book I have been reading, which I will be critiquing as soon as I am done with it is called "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" by Harriet Ann Jacobs. You can easily get free copies off the net with a simple Google search. I just think it would be powerful to have a reading group based on that story, yet I digress...
In the book, Jacobs discusses so many of her trials and tribulations having grown up an educated slave. One of her discussions was about the process of going to church and indeed, she has and entire chapter titled "The Church and Slavery". Here, an exerpt:
His text was, "Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ." Pious Mr. Pike brushed up his hair till it stood upright, and, in deep, solemn tones, began: "Hearken, ye servants! Give strict heed unto my words. You are rebellious sinners. Your hearts are filled with all manner of evil. 'Tis the devil who tempts you. God is angry with you, and will surely punish you, if you don't forsake your wicked ways. You that live in town are eye-servants behind your master's back. Instead of serving your masters faithfully, which is pleasing in the sight of your heavenly Master, you are idle, and shirk your work. God sees you. You tell lies. God hears you. Instead of being engaged in worshipping him, you are hidden away somewhere, feasting on your master's substance; tossing coffee-grounds with some wicked fortuneteller, or cutting cards with another old hag. Your masters may not find you out, but God sees you, and will punish you. O, the depravity of your hearts! When your master's work is done, are you quietly together, thinking of the goodness of God to such sinful creatures? No; you are quarrelling, and tying up little bags of roots to bury under the door-steps to poison each other with. God sees you. You men steal away to every grog shop to sell your master's corn, that you may buy rum to drink. God sees you. You sneak into the back streets, or among the bushes, to pitch coppers. Although your masters may not find you out, God sees you; and he will punish you. You must forsake your sinful ways, and be faithful servants. Obey your old master and your young master—your old mistress and your young mistress. If you disobey your earthly master, you offend your heavenly Master. You must obey God's commandments. When you go from here, don't stop at the corners of the streets to talk, but go directly home, and let your master and mistress see that you have come."
She then went on to state how such sermons would be preached as babes were torn from their nursing mothers breasts: babe to be sold, mother to nurse the children of her mistress. She told of a slave who had been considered disobedient, left chained to a cotton gin, starved, and died there. She told the tragic story of her own son, who had been thrown against a wall by her master and left unconscious on the floor as she was held back from him to watch in agony. Yet all of this against the back drop of slaves needing to be obedient to their masters.
The painful thing is that so many people do not see how such a painful American past could still pervade our present. We are in a bubble. Because racism is largely covert now instead of covert, we believe that it no longer exists... especially the youngest among us. We drive down a street and cannot understand why there might be an "African Methodist Episcopal Chruch". Why should it be separate, some might ask.
Because at one time, it had to be. We could survive no other way. We could be no other way. We had to create even church for ourselves.
It is this resilience that we should remember as be embark upon a new year. We can recreate greatness just like our forebearers did so long ago...
