WHO is Telling Your Story?

Here is proof that WHO is telling the story DOES matter… 

Yesterday while enroute to the Tidewater area in VA, I had time to kill so I stopped off to explore Black history at the Jamestown Settlement and one of it’s neighboring facilities.  My interest was in visiting the grounds of reportedly the first point of entrance for Africans in America and to see what I was told were replicas of Slave ships on display there.

Much to my humor, because I can’t say amazement, not one, but two employees recited for me the same basic lingo to describe what Black history I would find in Jamestown.

First it was explained that Jamestown is the birthplace for multiculturalism, the beginnings of the proverbial “melting pot” in America. With much pride AND, with a straight face, I might I add, it was explained that in the settlement of Jamestown, English “settlers”, Powhatan Indians and Africans from Angola all lived together! What a happy bunch they were! At least that is until those ungrateful Indians got out of hand and started fighting with those nice English “settlers”. Why then, all hell broke loose! The peaceful landing or port of entry for all, Ellis Island of that time I suppose, was forced to become a battle plagued fort as those kind hearted and loving “settlers”, bringing only good will and culture to the new land and to those mean ole’ savage like Indians, were forced to defend themselves!

And those Africans? Well, they just happened here by chance! The civilized and law abiding English “settlers” intending only to rob Portuguese ships of gold, diamonds and such instead, once on board, discovered all of those poor Africans neatly packaged and all tied up, just waiting to do God’s work, serving the interests of the White man! So those replica Slave ships I wanted to see? Well, they don’t really exist because the ships on display are replicas of ships that transported servants not Slaves. OK... However, it was explained that one can safely ASSume that the replica ships displayed at the settlement likely do largely resemble Slave ships that would eventually find their way to the new land but not for at least another 100 years…  

And Slavery? Well that was an accidental discovery too. Initially those kidnapped Africans accepted their fate. They settled in and lived very peaceably and amicably in that melting pot with the Indians and the English “settlers.” They were not Slaves, nor were they 3/5 humans, instead they were very happy indentured servants who, given good behavior, AKA quality servitude, you know like inmates in today’s prison system, they could actually earn their freedom. Hell, the nice ladies even shared with me that there is documented proof that one family actually left the good ole’ state of Virginny’ and traveled north to settle in Maryland. Lucky them, their family was never enslaved! ONLY ONE family managed to escape slavery? OK…

These trained and well rehearsed staff members wanted it to be clear that slavery was not intended in this new America. It was only when those English “settlers” saw the rewards of free labor being reaped by their brethren back in the home land, that they made what was purely an economical decision to replace the chains of physical bondage with 400 years of brutality and mental bondage… This canned recitation, if not so pathetic, would almost be comical!

 

During my next visit to the Tidewater area, my quest will be to find out where is the statute or place of celebration for Nat Turner. He played a significant role in the history of Virginia too. Surely there is a tribute to him somewhere???  I will let you know...

So folks as you can see, it DOES matter who is telling the story. WHO is telling your story? Miss Higgi Says, Learn, Embrace and GO TELL your history, WHOever you are, WHATever your story.  Don't allow that it is distorted or told out of context. Make sure folks hear it firsthand. Liberate your mind and shout it to the world...