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“Thank God for Truth”
“If you seek truth, you will not seek victory by dishonorable means, and if you find truth, you will become invincible.” Epictetus
In late August 1619, twenty-thirty enslaved Africans landed at Point Comfort, which is today's Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. They arrived aboard the English privateer ship, White Lion. Once the enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia, they were traded in exchange for supplies. It was days later when a second ship, the Treasurer arrived in Virginia with even more enslaved Africans. The enslaved Africans aboard both ships were captured by English privateers from the Spanish slave ship San Juan Bautista. These enslaved Africans are the first recorded Africans to arrive in England's mainland American colonies.
Although the English colonists in Virginia did not invent slavery, the transition from ships containing a few bound African laborers to a legalized system of full-blown chattel slavery of thousands of Blacks in America occurred, the landing of the first enslaved Africans in Virginia is one of the most significant historical events related to slavery in America. The arrival of enslaved Africans in 1619 marks the beginning of race-based bondage that defined the African American experience. The question is, how does one not only get to the heart of, but also, how does one explain the intersection between American slavery and American freedom. Is the full truth known, or has the full truth ever been discussed, documented, and told regarding the landing of the first slave ships in Hampton, Virginia, August 1619?
People do perish for a lack of knowledge. This has been the adage that is stated over and over, but there are powers in high places that have done and continue to do all that they can to keep knowledge and truth hidden. Knowledge is often hidden from certain groups such as Blacks and other groups of color. The powers in high places are fully aware that knowledge is truth, and that knowledge and truth are both filled with power! The reality is that there are many people who would rather live in a fantasy of untruths or hear a lie, as opposed to hearing truth. Many live with the adage, ‘the truth hurts!’ But what about a lie? How many people’s lives have been negatively impacted, misdirected, almost destroyed, or fully destroyed because of the concocted stories that result in a lie? You’ll probably never know how many. In order to find the truth about the negative impact lies have had and continue to have on people’s lives, people will have to gain knowledge by admitting the truth. They must face the truth, and accept the truth, which in many cases has been seen as a greater crime than the lies themselves. Truths are merely facts!
There is also the adage, ‘the truth will set you free.’ There are many who have been and are still physically incarcerated because of the color of their skin, which allowed those considered to be the majority or the powers that be, to not only tell lies, but to fabricate documented information as so-called evidence to gain and/or maintain control. However, this modus operandi is nothing new. The physical incarceration of Blacks and other people of color have been taking place since the deception imposed upon Native Americans, through the arrival of the first slave ships in Hampton Virginia in 1619, and through the denial of freedom for Black Americans after they landed in America. Even with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by then President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, the truth of freedom for Black slaves in Texas was hidden from them. This truth was withheld by slave owners to continue their selfish means of personal gain, control, exploitation, misuse, and abuse of enslaved Blacks. The lack of truth fostered a lack of knowledge, therefore fostering a continued mindset of bondage and a loss of freedom.
Imagine if the slaves in Galveston, Texas had been afforded the truth regarding their freedom two years prior to when the federal troops embarked upon the plantations where they resided in 1865. How much further could they have been in life with a two-year head start of freedom, when it was signed into the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863? How much could they have gained if the lies of control had been replaced with the freedom of truth? The truth really could have set them free, not just physically, but also emotionally, psychologically, economically, and spiritually.
Out of the hidden truth about the ordered release and freedom of slaves from bondage in Galveston, Texas, two years after the rest of the American slaves were emancipated, June 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, Juneteenth was born, which is short for June nineteenth. The newfound truth and knowledge gained by slaves in Galveston, Texas became a grand celebration known by many names, including Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Black Independence Day. Because America was still hiding behind truth, this celebration was not overtly shared with the masses throughout America, especially the Black masses. Here again, hide the truth, prevent knowledge, thereby decreasing power. Thank goodness for the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” Ms. Opal Lee, who fought to ensure that Juneteenth became a national federal holiday! The truth is out! However, hundreds of years later, even after President Joseph Biden issued a proclamation on the federal observance of Juneteenth in 2021, America’s racism still raises its ugly head daily.
I firmly believe that the lack of truth has contributed to the self-hatred, high incidents of Black on Black crime, the increased school dropout rate, and the self-destructive behaviors exemplified by so many of our Black children, especially Black males (children and adults). Consistent attempts to enact the deterioration of the Black family system are directly correlated with a lack of cultural history, simply translated into Blacks being denied truth. Blacks continue to suffer educationally, economically, socially, politically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually, due to their lack of knowledge and lack of truth regarding the history of Blacks in America. And then there are those racist, white, right wing Republican leaders doing their best to keep truth from Black children, children of color, and children of other races, as they ban books, ban history, ban truth, ban diversity, and ban equity, in their efforts to continue to ban knowledge and ban power from those who don’t look like them. The truth about the history of Blacks won’t just help set Blacks free, it will set all of America free.
It is sad that many Americans don’t want to hold candid, open, and honest conversations regarding the hidden truths about racism that still exists in America. Not only do many not want to hold open and candid conversations about the history and present state and status of racism in America, there are many who also don’t want to take actions to eradicate America’s racist mindset and racist behaviors. Until all Blacks are free, in mind, body, and spirit, educationally, economically, socially, emotionally, psychologically, politically, and spiritually, none are truly free. And until all Blacks who are illegally, unfairly, and unjustly incarcerated in physical prisons are released, the true celebration of Juneteenth cannot be fully experienced, expressed, and appreciated. Are we our brothers’/sisters’ keeper? Yes, we are!
“We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream” was a statement made by Martin Luther King, Jr. sixty years ago in his “I Have a Dream” speech. However, for justice and righteousness to roll down in America, truth must first roll down. Over five hundred years later, Blacks in America aren’t just looking for justice to ‘roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream,’ Blacks are still looking for truth, justice, fairness, and righteousness to become realities!
Blacks in America have been seeking truth, justice, righteousness, and total freedom individually and collectively as a people for hundreds of years. It’s past time for America to hold those right-wing supremacist lawmakers to task for the draconian laws that they have kept on the law books, as well as the recent laws that prohibit the full impact of the Emancipation Proclamation from taking place. It is also past time for the so-called ‘law enforcement officials’ to be held accountable for each Black life they have taken and continue to take unjustly, in their acts of genocide through homicide. They are aware that with the murder of each Black male/female at the hands of law enforcement officials and others through gun violence, there is a reduction in the number of Black children being born by 2.5 children for each victim. Hence, there is a reduction in the Black population, which to the perpetrators involved in taking Black lives without provocation or cause, is a great thing! The reduction in Black lives is an opportunity for the oppressors of truth, justice, righteousness, and freedom to reduce the perceived ‘threat’ against their majority control and majority rule. Thank God for truth!
Without truth there is no knowledge. Without knowledge and truth, there is no power. Through truth and knowledge, Blacks have been able to show their resilience, their ability to persevere, and their ability to survive through slavery, through the plantation, through Mississippi, through Alabama, and through Tulsa Oklahoma. The same truth and knowledge has kept Blacks resilient in the midst of racism, in the midst of inequalities, in the midst of inequities, in the midst of miseducation, in the midst of discrimination, in the midst of injustices, in the midst for unrighteousness, in the midst of voter suppression, in the midst of economic oppression, in the midst of poverty, in the midst of genocide and homicides, and in the midst of any and all of the atrocities that have been thrown their way. Freedom has not been free, and Blacks are still paying a dear price, even while celebrating Juneteenth. Thank God for truth!
It is important that no matter the color of your skin, you seek truth, speak truth, stand for truth, and stand on truth!!! Truth CAN and WILL set you free!!! Happy Juneteenth and power to the Black men who are biological fathers, stepfathers, surrogate fathers, mentors, and all of the other father roles that God has allowed you to undertake. Your truth is your power!!! Thank God for TRUTH!!!! Now use it!!!!
“Truth never damages a cause that is just.” Mahatma Gandhi
If for no other reason, it is important we have a conversation about what took place at Point Comfort in 1619 because it forever changed the course of the country. The legacy of this event affects us all and understanding this complex history and legacy helps us to come together as Americans.
~ Luci Cochran, Executive Director, Hampton History Museum
Don’t forget to read Dr. Joyce’s blog, titled,
“Signs It’s Time to Cut Ties with Toxic Friends”
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