Hello Roundtable! Let me just say today was the day I realized that I have been disrespectful to my culture. That I have been disrespectful to my history as an African-American. Today my neighbor and I took our children to the African-American museum in D.C. and it was an experience. Before I tell you the story let me just say if you have not visited this museum you need to make plans to do so. I don’t care what race you are, the information and feeling you leave there with can only make you a better person.
Anyway back to the story, the thought behind this museum is overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who donated any artifact or story to this museum. Now why do I say I have been disrespectful? Well first off my generation and every generation after me is very selfish and have a sense of entitlement that we did not earn. To forget what every soul that was of color had to go through so that I may have what I have is disrespectful. Now I’m not disrespectful there I treasure everything that I have and every right I have to show it. I am disrespectful for not making sure my children learned the same history and appreciated it.
As we walked through the museum and saw the exhibits we had the children read different ones. Now each of has twins that are 8, so I don’t expect them to know a lot, but my son looked at me and said why does that man have scars on his back. I stated he was whipped because he was didn’t listen to his master. My son then replied like when we get whippings by you when we do something bad. Now as cute and innocent as that may sound he didn’t realize that slave whippings and his whipping were drastically different. It was at that moment that I realized my children were a tad bit sheltered. We continued on and saw slave owners strip a mother of her baby to sell, it was a very brutal site and all the children could say was thats not the way to hold a baby, once again I was struck with a sense of failure on my part.
One of the most moving section of the museum was the Emmett Till exhibit. It was heartbreaking and even though I had seen the documentary on TV and new the story I was so deeply moved I wanted to cry. Then two older white women were beside me and one said I don’t remember this. I said you’ve never heard about Emmett Till and she said no. My look of disbelief was all I could do and then she said it happened in 1955, I don’t remember. I said well maybe you were young in 1955 but what about all the years afterwards? We’re in 2017 and you’ve never knew about this story and she said once again no. Thats heartbreaking, the lady beside her said well his mother was strong to be able to show his face at the funeral. I said but do you understand why she did? She just shook her head no and said but thats courage. My children too were ignorant to the story and thats my fault. We finished our tour with a high note, music, and it was exciting, but in the back of my mind I knew I had a lot of work to do.
Now I know some of you may be saying that children are innocent and they are but when do we let them know about their history? At what age do you start to tell them that at one point we were enslaved and only considered three-fifths of property? Children of the past had to grow up so much sooner than needed. I don’t believe kids should grow up that fast but I do feel that children should not be so naive as to believe everyone is their best friend. Please teach your children how to recognize the difference. Let’s stop disrespecting our history and teach it so that our children do not feel entitled and selfish or just plan ignorant to the fact. Please teach our children that many people suffered and died for every right we squander away or take for granted. This post is long because the experience is long and I can’t wait to go back. We have to remember history or we’re doomed to repeat it. Look at the world today! Now in the infamous words of Doughboy from boys in the hood: “Either they don’t know, don’t show or don’t care about what goes on in our history.” We should! See you at the next discussion.
Visit the African-American Museum: https://nmaahc.si.edu
