White Boy Learns Some Black History
I have a dream that one day little black boys and girl will be holding hands with little white boys and girls
― Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream
By Christopher C.L Custer, MD
I wondered on what James Baldwin once said - that when referring to the renewed violence of black people, violence is not a novelty. He pointed out that black people in America have used rebellion for as long as there were slaves in the America. The first conspiracy for rebellion occurred in 1663, however it was betrayed-with many black people dying. The Stono Rebellion 1739, New York City conspiraIcy where 30 black people who were either hung or burned at the stake. The Gabriel Rebellion of 1800, culminating with the Nat Turner Rebellion of 1842(1)
White people, particularly slave owner always feared slave rebellion and having armed slaves against them was not what they wanted- they were scared shirtless. Father of White America, George Washington was reluctant to arm black military units on the condition that these enslaved people would be granted their freedom.He only did so on account of the rumor that the British in the southern colonies that any slaves siding with the British would gain their freedom.
Abraham Lincoln was reluctant establishing armed black military units. He finally agreed for at least for two reasons. Several union Generals were independently in fact where establishing black regiments. Lincoln, the consummate politician could see the writing on the wall, and reluctantly approved recruiting black regiments into the Union Army. That and that recruiting whites was becoming harder and harder, needed another source of volunteers and black men were both willing and able to become soldiers
In reality the argument, saying that black people instinctually were violent was misguided. The quest for freedom surpassed being violent or otherwise. In this case the end does justify the means. Blackpeople's violence was at least justifiable. Violence was a self- fulfilling prophecy. Violence of white master inflicted on his enslaved person, was answered by violent slave rebellion with in turn white violence towards their slaves escalated evermore(2).
Black mistrust of the police remains deep to this day, particularly in the South, Nobles said. Racial animus can spur fear of blacks on the part of whites and sometimes lead them to “self-deputize” themselves in public places to “discipline” unruly(3). My only bad incident with police who pulled me over because I fit the description of a " streaker."To those unfamiliar with the term, it means a person running in public area, naked. The officer asked me to step outside of car. He touched me to see if I was wearing an undershirt. As I wasn't wearing a undershirt The policeman took that as evidence I was the streaker, and verbally harassed me, by saying that he wanted to string me and also anyone else who did the same to the nearest lamppost. But I never feared for my life. Now this is pretty mild experience compared to black people who just walking around or driving a car could be hazardous to their health
Police have a long history of violence toward people who engaged in any violence or even protest. From slave patrols, to enforcing the Black Laws and Jim Crow regulations, the Police often used violence to enforce these laws. Not because they were forced to use violence but. violence was their idea of keeping uppity n.....rs in their place- one of a subordinate role to the white person. So police forces use violence not as a response to a new threat, but as a hammer which sees black people as just another nail. Police are no longer protecting black people, but are instead fighting them.
I am slowly learning about the Black Condition and am learning the inhumanity that people display towards other humans, just to keep the status quo. I have always wondered at this white people's maddness.
REFERENCES
1)https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/did-african-american-slaves-rebel/re
2)https://www.litcharts.com/lit/benito-cereno/themes/violence-and-slavery
3)https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/todays-racial-violence-has-long-roots-in-the-past/