Black History; a Lesson in Resiliency and Looking to God in Our Suffering
By Ashley C. Troutman
Click here to hear Ashley's presentation.
2019 marked an important time in documented American History as it represented the 400th year that the first African slave was brought to the shores of the British colonies that would later become the United States of America. Those 13 colonies would later obtain freedom from British rule in 1776 after defeating Britain in the American Revolution. Yet, while Thomas Jefferson penned his famous words in the Declaration of Independence, “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, he himself owned a few hundred slaves. To this day concerns over the issue of race and class are still challenging topics in American life.
To challenge the often-negative imagery of Blacks in America at the time, and the overlook of their contributions, Dr. Carter G. Woodson began Negro History week in 1926 which evolve to Black History Month in 1976. Dr. Woodson’s goal was twofold. One, help instill pride in black people and awareness of amongst whites of the significant contributions blacks had made by connecting the Black American story to the broader American story. Secondly, his hope was that his efforts to organize the study of Black History could reduce racism and eventually lead to equality for all people.
Now, in the year 2020 we may ask ourselves, is this dedicated time period or dedicated study of a culture still relevant? As a Black American my answer is a resounding yes. But event right here in this space why should it matter to you? As I sit amongst a group of friends with a different ancestral experience than my own why should we still pursue, study, and celebrate the accomplishments of the trailblazers that hove overcome? As Pastor Tim stated last week my ancestors had to overcome snares; the snares of slavery, the snares of Jim Crow, the snares of housing discrimination, and the snares of predatory lending practices in order to ascend to equal playing fields of their American counterparts. Why give light to our sin as a nation when we have moved beyond those times?
Giving light to sin, as Pastor Tim would also say, allows us to no longer remain enslaved by past failings. It allows us the opportunity to start the process of healing. As a nation while we have made tremendous progress there are still those that need to heal. Our union still needs perfecting. Also, the study of history not only gives us countless examples of who we are when we’re at our best, but also who we are when we’re at our worst. At our best we are the leader of the free world, the country that led in the eventual abolishment of slavery around the world. At our worst we are a nation that enslaves the weak, that fears the other.
Apart from God we are all full of contradictions, but with God even our contradictions reveal his mighty hand moving throughout eternity causing us all to worship him. Apart from God my history can be weaponized s a way to demand leverage over another, but with God that same history allows the opportunity to bind us together through empathy as we learn more and more of our individual suffering. For as Pastor Tim often quotes from Romans; From him, and through him, and to him are all things. If everything is from him then even when we’re at our best, we must be humble. If everything is from him then we should seek to be generous stewards over the possessions that God has provided us by searching for the chance to bring justice or redemption into the lives of those around us. Even those that may not look like us. Through him we gain access to life and liberty. Finally, if everything is to him then even our suffering is not in vain, for our suffering then becomes a part of the fabric or the tapestry that he is creating to bring glory to his name. Similar to the study of Jesus and his life of joy yet deep sorrows; the study of my experience and that of my ancestors; their accomplishments and suffering can give us all hope and guidance to look to an eternal source, our once creator, for we can find connection and meaning through our suffering.