Black History Month Day 1

To An Unknown Relative



I found this picture on the internet and decided to use it to represent an ancestor (mine).

Someone who was probably chilling somewhere on the West Coast of Africa minding their business before they were captured and dragged on one of them slave ships. I don't know the details but can imagine they sailed across the Atlantic in shackles towards South or Central America to later end up in Hispaniola to work the sugar cane fields. Again I'm speculating but I hope later they heard about the revolution, grabbed a machete, matches (thing to make fire with) used during those time and got involved. Afterwards they toughed it out long enough to allow for me and my family to exist.

The point to all this is not to be exact about the series of event that occurred (for all I know there might be some shit in the pass I might be embarrass to find out). My point is shit wasn't easy and I'm sure there was several occasions for this person to put themselves out of their misery and yet they didn't. As a result I get to live here today and bitch about things that they're probably up in heaven wishing they could kick my ass for (ie:. "you want to complain about having to go to a paid job????").

To bring home the idea, check out this poem by my man Talam Acey titled, "I Could Be Killed For What I'm Thinking". He makes the same point only better...

Btw...to this relative I want to say Thanks...see you when I get there...and that I'm struggling to make you proud...