ALL EYES ON ME

“ALL EYES ON ME” 01/23/14 by Rev. Dr. Larry Delano Coleman Slavery embarrasses too many black people of this era, especially African Americans. With “Black History Month” --February-- rapidly approaching, it is inevitable that American chattel slavery will be mentioned. It cannot be avoided. How African Americans relate to slavery, however, is vitally important! Their children's attitudes will be affected by the adults around them, and their children's etc. African American slaves were extraordinary people! They chose life over death: survival over suicide; heroism over homicide. They self-liberated themselves and preserved the nation known as United States of America's very sheer existence—through the force of sable arms in the Civil War (“The Freedom War”)--in doing so! Never before in history nor mythology has any minority of people achieved both their own self-liberation while, at the same time, preserving the existence of their oppressor! These were extraordinary people! From the Christian religion of their oppressor, they formulated a self-identity as the “people of God,” consisting of a genetic amalgamation of the tribes from all of Africa; ethnic groups from all of Europe; and natives from all over the Americas merged by blood, language, custom, and systematic oppression into an irrepressible creature. More than a genetic amalgamation, though, they crafted a cultural assimilation and a cosmology founded upon Jesus Christ, their oppressed and crucified “joint-heir” and fellow-sufferer. Jesus they reshaped into their own likeness and image, allegorically, creating a new music thereby called “spirituals,” which they sang while they worked, played, worshiped and secretly communicated in code with each other. These spirituals, in turn, formed the basis of all other forms of uniquely American music, from blues to hip-hop! Hip-hop music and culture, like its African American predecessors, has become the music of the world, not just of black American youth. Its predecessors were rhythm and blues; jazz; blues; ragtime; gospel, and their myriad permutations. From their music came dance, culture, style, fashion elan, and soul. In addition to being extraordinary soldiers and musicians, they were inventors, authors, explorers, laborers, cowboys, film-makers, physicians, teachers, sailors, mathematicians, architects, engineers, scientists, attorneys, judges, politicians, ministers, seamstresses, domestics, washerwomen, and more, including a President! Shame on any black person—man, woman, or child—who is ashamed of slavery! The descendants of slaves--them--are the greatest people in world history or mythology! As all eyes are riveted on the amazing and the unusual out of awe and admiration, it is only natural that all eyes will be on the extraordinary YOU during Black History Month! The late Tupac Shakur's song, ALL EYES ON ME recognizes this just necessity. Smile, black people! Your time has come! “Arise and shine your light as come. The glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.” Isaiah 60:1