Black History is a celebration of freedom from oppression and overcoming the struggles that follow that freedom. After the Emancipation of Proclamation, there was a new hurdle to the actualization of freedom – Jim Crow segregation. It took almost another 100 years after the Emancipation for segregation to be dismantled through the Civil Rights movement. However, in that 100 years the struggle to overcome and restore rights to Blacks opened doors for all oppressed Americans. Due to the Civil Rights Movement (and its predecessors), women, the disabled and other disenfranchised Americans were able to obtain rights of equality. That is why Black History is American history. It is the embodiment of the American dream. Freedom is hard fought. Remaining hurdles of injustice are overcome. Black history in America is symbolic worldwide, like Gandhi and the fall of the Berlin wall. None of these happened overnight, and even with eventual victory, struggles remained. However, true to the human spirit, those struggles are overcome.
So as we look at the struggles facing us in this crazy world and depressed economy, the cynic in me allows the voices of my ancestors to rise in the hymn “we shall overcome” and “this too shall pass.” When we go beyond the color of one’s skin, race or nationality and unite as human beings, a miraculous thing occurs. We can change this world. In the words of the Pointer Sisters, “I know we can make it, I know that we can, we can work it out, we got to make this land a better land than the world in which we live.”
to get together with one another.
We got to iron out our problems
and iron out our quarrels
and try to live as brothers.
And try to find a piece of land
without stepping on one another.
And do respect the women of the world.
Remember you all have mothers.
We got to make this land a better land
than the world in which we live.
And we got to help each man be a better man
with the kindness that we give.
I know we can make it.
I know darn well we can work it out.
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, why can’t we?
If we wanna get together we can work it out.
And we gotta take care of all the children,
the little children of the world.
’cause they’re our strongest hope for the future,
the little bitty boys and girls.
We got to make this land a better land
than the world in which we live.
And we got to help each man be a better man
with the kindness that we give.
I know we can make it.
I know darn well we can work it out.
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
yes we can can, why can’t we?
If we wanna, yes we can can.
-Pointer Sisters “Yes We Can”
Ronda is an attorney, writer, and entrepreneur. She is a contributing writer for the Huffington Post. Originally from Chicago, she has lived in Los Angeles and New York. She loves to travel and is passionate about education equity, especially for first generation college students.