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Blogs Men/Women in Hip-Hop History or 'His' Story: Whose Story Will You Believe? by Jasmin Greene
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Blogs Men/Women in Hip-Hop History or 'His' Story: Whose Story Will You Believe? by Jasmin Greene | History or 'His' Story: Whose Story Will You Believe? by Jasmin Greene |
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| Written by Foresight | |
| Monday, 11 February 2008 | |
  This professor (sadly I can’t even remember his name) explained to my class that we have always been learning about black HIStory. HIS meaning the general white public, the white male who more often than not writes the history books. Sure, we learn about the “celebrity African Americans”, those being Dr. MLK Jr, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks. Sure, he told us, we are “allowed” to know the basics about those people. But there are hundreds of other influential African Americans in our history that we are missing out on, simply because of the people who have written our history. He told my class that we should believe nothing of what is told to us and that we should educate ourselves first, on our own. We should be reading everything we can get our hands on. We should seek to talk to the very people who created our history. So I did. I bought every book I could afford on anything having to do with black people. I wanted to learn about everything. I read H.Rap Brown’s “Die Nigger Die” (which has become one of my favorite non-fictions) and was wildly turned on to black studies. I read every single autobiography that is available on individual black panther members. I read about Tousssaint L’Overture and Denmark Vesey who led powerful slave rebellions. Lil Bobby Hutton, murdered at the age of 17. Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter, who was murdered on the campus in the very building where many of my graduate classes would be held years later at UCLA. I learned much more than SNCC and the NAACP. I learned about Mau-Mau (Kenya Liberation Movement), the FRELIMO (Mozambique Liberation Front) and other powerful organizations. I learned about the myths of Abe Lincoln through the book “Forced From Glory”, as well as other white leaders who we are taught to praise.  I didn’t just read though. Like my professor said, we know who writes most history books. So I sought to find out first hand. I met and studied with Earl Caldwell, who is a prime example of information being removed from the history books. He was a journalist in the 60s and 70s who documented the Black Panthers from the inside. He also was the only reporter to witness the assassination of Dr. MLK Jr. Because of his involvement with the Black Panthers, the FBI took him to court (United States v. Caldwell) and basically tried to ruin him. To make this long story short, he was fired from his journalist positions…Today he now has a radio show taped in NYC, The Caldwell Chronicle. I felt honored to speak and learn under him, yet it was quite emotional for me. An injustice has been done to this man and his work, yet no one knows who he is. I could go on and on about who I read and met and my travels to Egypt, Kenya, and Morocco seeking truth. In light of this article, I want to wrap it up like this…my old professor told me once that a teacher’s goal must be to touch and change one student’s life. Then that one will enlighten another, and so on. People always ask me why I took 1.5 years out of my life to go to UCLA and study black studies. What kind of job will you get? What can you do with that? You won’t make any money… It was that class, that professor, that experience that made me want to study black studies. It wasn’t for a job, career advancement, or any financial gain. I just wanted to know better. My professor went into teaching to change one students life, well he did. And I became a writer so that one person could read my words, and change themselves. And with this article, I hope one of you will be inspired to pick up a book, google a name, seek out the truth… Happy Black History Month… Comments
(3)
I think the most powerful part of the blog were the last two paragraphs. That needed to be written, needed to be read, and now we can continue the efforts of infecting our culture, our people, our neighborhoods, and even our offspring...big up Jasmine G. Now read my blog and leave a comment. HAHAHAHA...
I went through a similar transformation when I was completing my afro-am major. At least your school has a mandatory course. Nice article.
keep droppin' knowledge Jaz...
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 13 February 2008 ) |
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