Thoughts of "Roots","Slavery And The Making of America" On PBS, Some Good Books & Late Night Conversations with Grandaddy

Watching "Roots" on TV One so far this week made me think of all the books on African History, American History, how Black History was usually no more than a couple of sentences to a paragraph long in History class , and made me think of the books on Slavery that I have read over the years and also the special that came on PBS in February 2005 called Slavery And The Making of America.

It reminded me of watching this historic mini-series in 1977 when I was 7-years-old and actually remembering it all as it was that impacting and the perspective of watching it now in 2007 at the age of 37.

It also reminded me of the slavery stories my grandfather told me about that his parents and grandparents passed on to him.

Stories that kept me up at night even as a 20-something young adult. Stories that made me lose my appetite even after a long day at work. Stories that made me fight back the tears but the tears came down anyway. Stories that hurt my feelings. Stories that made me angry. Stories that took my emotions on a rollercoaster ride and back again all in one night until I would hear some more the next night. Stories that my Grandaddy had to take a drink before he could even begin to tell me. Stories of an entire people who's very humanity was taken from them yet still we survived. Stories that had me riveted to the table as I would ask him to keep on behind the tears, the pain and the hurt I would feel with each story.

Seniors & Elders have a way of telling you a story that takes you right back to that time. When it comes to certain subjects, you can feel it, taste it, smell it. That powerful feeling comes over you as a listener where you feel you can't stand it as a human being to take it anymore but that same powerful feeling that keeps you glued to your seat because this is your family, these are your ancestors and you want to know what happened. All that happened. And by whom.

Here is a link to the American Slavery Timeline: pbs.org/slavery/timeline

One of the must-read books on my list in the 80's that was another good source to introduce this subject to me was: The Destruction of Black Civilization: Great Issues of a Race From 4500 B.C. To 2000 A.D. by Chancellor Williams.

I want to take this time to say to my Grandfather in Heaven who's spirit I still believe is with us as a family, "Thank you, Grandaddy. Thank you for passing it on. Thank you for those nights. Thank you for telling me those stories. Love You Always! Peace and Blessings. LT"