DC Spotlight

Straight Out of “The 400th” By John Burl Smith I dedicated this post “Straight Out of ‘The 400th’” to my wife Dot, and other black women, who were and are continually on the frontline, as unsung heroines of our love story, which is as older as time itself. Recently there has been lots of buzz regarding Mrs. Michelle Obama’s recent statement, “I’m experiencing “low-grade depression.” Then she followed that with, “The idea that what this country is going through shouldn’t have any effect on us-that we all should just feel OK all the time-that just doesn't feel real to me. So I hope you all are allowing yourselves to feel whatever it is you’re feeling.” It is called empathy. For me her response is consistent with the nurturant role enslaved African women have always filled from slave pens until today. The powerful thing to me is that she felt that urge and openly expressed that matriarchal tendency to relate and comfort the community. While struggling to learn how best to express my thoughts in writing, when telling a story, Dot always admonished, “It has to be a love story!” So this is an “ode to black women and a love story in her honor.” Black women began expressing this concept most profoundly, during the story I learned and tell in my narrative “The 400th” From Slavery to Hip Hop. Believe it or not, I did not set out to structure “The 400th” as I did, but in telling of it, black women and their role, very subtly at first, but conditions kept dictated their survival strategy. The circumstances enslaved Africans endured forced black women to step into the void, whenever one existed. The following passages exemplify black women’s role “Straight out of “The 400th”. First and foremost, in terms of survival for enslaved Africans, black women seemed to have decided back in slavery to throw babies at the problem, until black men came up with a better strategy. Their decision to keep bearing children, in the face of total uncertainty, pain and loss, as well as degradation and exploitation, while beginning forced to nurse masters’ children, at the expense of her child; Black they took on the burden of caring for others. They were the foundation of the next crucial decisions for former enslaved Africans after emancipation, which was to make families and build communities; black women became the center of community survival. Black women were the ones most likely to be able to read and write, so that put them in control of the family’s business. Those families that followed this strategy prospered, but those that did not, didn’t fare as well. This result is reflected by the fact that black women with children survived without men, but men without families, mostly did poorly. Some family structures former slaves developed defy textbook descriptions. Families joined together; sometimes two or three women shared one man. Some arrangements were like confederations, formed based on mutual survival needs and agreements. Just the same, whatever structure former slaves came up with, proved to be resilient enough that small groups of families became communities, aiding contrabands survival. Their decision to build communities allowed what they learned, as individuals surviving in slave pens, to become group knowledge, underpinning their common experiences, made all their other experiences part of their communal strategies. Deciding to make families and build communities, rather than dispersing among others or existing as individuals, I believe, was enslaved Africans saving grace. Although keeping the family together was their primary responsibility, black women lead all kinds of civic/social movements and activities. Their most powerful weapon was “Colored Women Clubs, which united them in the efforts to find and care for orphans. Slavery and Civil War produced millions of children who had no idea of who or the whereabouts of their parents. While simultaneously, men formed groups among themselves—ministers, lodges, and fraternal organizations—which championed and established traditions of self-help and communal support, however, women’s groups were far more effective. Identical to white men, but for different reasons, black men were very chauvinistic about leadership. Most of these groups excluded women, and those that admitted women, relegated them to second class status, at best secretaries. Today, I felt compelled to offer this ode to black women to honor their determination, strength, intelligence, resolve and refusal to yield, as Maya Angelou penned so eloquently, “Still I Rise.” I refuse to attend any “pity party” where black women are looked upon as deficient in any respect or there are questions about black women regarding anything, except being overly generous to white women, who know the truth of their prowess, because they stand on black women’s shoulders. But to get their big chance, white women align with white men to get their slice of white privilege. This ode to black women is an appeal for them to stand strong in their tradition, you have nothing which to apologize. You have earned your bona fides, competing against white privilege, so never take a step back against yourself. When you do, you will be conceding ground you have fought tremendous battles to gain. Lives were lost by black women like you to preserve gains for the next generation. Then again because you are so magnanimous, today you stand before the world based on everyone—white men, black men and white women—readily moved up over your backs to stand on your shoulders, denying you your rightful place because you are black women. Today you have earned your rightful place at the highest levels of leadership. But, I have a final question, “If not now, what was it all for?” You, black woman, asked for this, and deservedly so it is before each of you. Each time you stepped, you passed a black man, who was comfortable, hanging out with the white boys in the backroom. On such nights, you were up late, burning the midnight oil, so you could be so incredibly stunning the next morning. “If not now, what was the struggle for?” You would have never made it to where you are if being a pretty party girl was what you dreamed of and pined. Feeding your fire, after being born in darkness without real hope, you reached for that which burned brightest, as your guide toward the light that shines upon you today. Your brilliance is yours by right, not anyone’s stolen joy; you deserve everything that is before. So reach out and possess it, as your prize, for all your battles won. The best needs to show young eyes what a powerful black woman looks like and behave like, by being the example you never had. What will young eyes see if you do not provide such images? “If not this time then when?”

I spent 3 years working kids with Down Syndrome and other developmental disabilities teaching them photography. Before that time, my life had no meaning, until I met those kids. Andrew, in this video reminds me of the joy I felt and received from those kids EVERY DAY. This video is proof of how working kids and adults with disabilities will change your life forever. Thank you Tim Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver of Special Olympics for introducing me to a HIGHER LOVE!

Happy Birthday Dr. King! When you only tried to change the South, who knew you would change the world? Thank you. ❤

Everybody needs one! ♥️

We at DC Spotlight Newspaper looooove bipartisanship in our Congress. Let's keep it coming!

"I'm willing to work harder than you." Kobe Bryant Be relentless at your work!

Real men are the best dads!