#2. Get rid of the weight.I’m grappling with a concept called Black Improvement. America has had a civil rights movement, a women’s suffrage movement, and now we are having a bit of a Tea Party Movement. I fancy a Black Improvement Movement where people of African descent focus solely on Improvement. I’ve often wondered how our country might have evolved if instead of focusing on being equal with other Americans, Blacks focused upon improvement in all areas which may have included Civil Rights. It is through this movement that I approach these writings. Be improved Ya’ll.
Somewhere in 2007 Drew M., a White (and I say that to provide a visual) minister who is currently around 69 (Pops would have been 74 this year) shared with me some information about my Dad that I didn't know. He stated "Your Dad is a phenomenal man, he has done things that others are still scared to do. He deserves a lot of recognition. He then says "We were in a meeting and he shared with us that Dr. King (The Honorable Dr. Martin Luther King) told my father in a meeting "You'll have to get rid of your hate for White people to do your job." Dad then reportedly shared in this meeting with Drew other things he did during the Civil Rights era involving racial reconciliation. Drew shared how he admired how my Dad, and other Blacks, rose above the problems of that time to act in a manner exemplified by Yeshua (Jesus). As a child I used to wonder how my parent's and ancestors lived under the suffocating veil of evil White supremacy without wanting to kill every White person in sight. As mad as I would become after hearing their stories I still couldn't hate Whites because my parents wouldn't allow that. They taught me to love Black and love White and everything in between. A lady once set Pops' hair on fire when he rooted for the other team at a football game. The Blancos (White folks) around him wouldn't let him put out the fire nor retaliate against the witch. How could he be so loving after facing so much hate... He attributed it to "a relationship with Christ"... I thought that he and Christ were both crazy. He redirected, saying that the hate I felt was legitimate, valid, and was so heavy that I’d pay the price in missed opportunity.
In September 2009 my Father embraced his last earthly breath, leaving our family and friends to continue his legacy of love. One of Dad’s most memorable lessons to me dealt with the weight of Hate. Dad shared that while ‘Hate’ can be an excellent motivator, the weight of hate often restrains advancement.
On my mantle is a photo of two of my greatest ancestors - my Dad his good friend..........Baseball legend Jackie Robinson. I remember coming home from school after learning about Jackie Robinson in school and telling Dad and Mom I want to play Baseball like Jackie Robinson. Dad said something to the effect of "Jackie used to throw balls at you when you were a baby." Dad then pulled Jackie Robinson's book off of his bookshelf and showed me a signature from Jackie with comments that could only be made from people who are close. Dad used to minister to Jackie Robinson's family and was even referenced in the book's "Thank You's". This picture still makes me shiver. Two men who both shaped and changed the world I live in. Two men who faced the cruelty of America squarely in the face and 'showed love' in response to hate. Dad and Mom raised us in a rather Afro-Centric environment, yet never showed a disdain for anyone. We were taught to love Africa and America. I still get looks of surprise when I often end prayers with my kids by saying "GOD bless Africa, GOD bless America, GOD bless everybody." GOD bless everybody.... Even those I want to hate. When Dad spoke of people he hated he spoke of Blacks who were racial betrayers. Dad is chock full of stories where White-folks did incredibly devilish acts of hatred to him, yet he only hated when 'we' didn't achieve, when 'we' hurt each-other, when 'we' failed to improve our station in life, when 'we' didn't appreciate ourselves as our hate for our enemies and oppressors became a weight on our advancement.
My family had a Christmas tradition of going to the movies after a Holy-Day meal. Growing up in Brooklyn New York, later in Columbus Ohio, and finally here in Hampton Roads Virginia my family and I would enjoy a morning of worship, a filling meal, and top the night off with a movie of my Mother’s choosing. These last two Christmas Days have been too emotionally heavy to carry-on the tradition. On Christmas in 2007 the Wifey’ and I joined my parents. Tonight we viewed "The Great Debaters". T'was great seeing this movie with Denzel holding-down the main character, who in real-life was a member of Omega Psi Phi ! (Dad and I are both Omega Men, Dad now rests in Omegas in the sky.) Scenes of a tar-and-feathered lynching and a few other scenes of racism hit my parents hard. Pops had watched a lynch mob lynch-kill an uncle, and Pops and his Dad also cut down about five other neighbors who were lynched in Opelika Alabama. Mum was touched by the overall feelings involved in the movie and wept for about twenty minutes after giving a rousing ovation at the end of the film. Strangers walked up and gave her hugs and initially left me wondering if I were doing enough to console her. I later realized that they shared her pain, and wanted to share the joys and pains the movie highlighted.
The Wifey remained with my Mum, allowing ‘Mum’ to regain emotional composure while I enjoyed walking with Pops out to his car. En-route, Dad recounted a story of an English teacher, a white professor, who played tennis with him weekly at 5:00 in the morning. The word circulated about this white female professor who was meeting with a negro boy most every morning and the college president made a general announcement that any interactions with white professors in that capacity due to the danger it posed to fellow Livingston College students. In 1957 we were still getting lynched, Pops said. The situation became news when a bread company that delivered bread to the campus threatened that if my Pops continued playing tennis with the professor, they would stop delivering bread to the campus. The professor responded by writing a letter to the bread company complaining if they were going to boycott by refusing to serve a Black college because of the Black student, they should also boycott a White college as the professor was white.
The big thing, Pops shared, was that the professor was teaching him English during the tennis games. He was failing English horribly and the professor decided to take extra time with my Pops who didn't have an adequate English class in his high-school. Pops reportedly took a class for four years that would currently equate to Freshman English 101. He learned standard English speaking patterns and nuances while conversing with a professor who needed someone to aid her in staying in shape and keeping her tennis skills sharp. What a trade. Dad noted that once the games ended, he had a hard time in English......but he remained academically alive. Times were hard, but he lived the life that was given him, and played the games life gave him. Too many of his peers, however, were too angry with my Dad and also towards the Bread company to support the civil unrest needed to combat the situation. Later the college eventually caved to the idiotic demands of the Bread company.
Pops is so proud of the accomplishments of his generation. It pains me now when looking at my peers who really don't care. When the torch of advancement was passed to a new generation, too many of us weren’t able to leap and grasp the torch as our weights held us firmly grounded in hate.
Erykah Badu has a tune named Bag Lady. In the tune she paints a picture of how the weight of problems, such as hate, holds people back. “You gone hurt your back, dragging all them bags like that.” Take her advice. Get rid of the weight....Be improved……
Seko VArner
Seko Varner is the current President of the Imani Foundation of Virginia, a local cultural organization. Seko has a background in special event entertainment, youth and family counseling, special education, and is currently involved in financial planning and real estate. He lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with his wife and two children. He may be reached by visiting http://showthemtheworld.blogspot.com/ .
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