Black trauma

I was caring for a white man TODAY (no lies are being sold) and he said “My Grandaddy had about 50 black concubines. It don’t matter what color you are as long as you know how to act!” I excused him because he has hit his head recently and maybe his judgement is off. But maybe it’s not. People of color excuse a lot of things. Far too many. Women excuse a lot. It was a sober thought he expressed in spite of his condition. What exactly is “knowing how to act”? Subservience? It’s not exactly an honor that was given them…to be a white man’s black concubine.

Concubine: a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives.

People wonder why Americans of African descent (and feminists) are so traumatized and easily triggered. This is why friends. We experienced the atrocities of slavery a few lifetimes ago and even though we want to bury the memories like everyone else does…we can’t seem to bury them quite deep enough. They erupt from the soil in black blood.

We are reminded of slavery every day while trying to move on and forget with the crowd because the stench of oppression and racism is still in the air. The problematic ideas and attitudes are still being expressed. The psychological and emotional impact is lasting. It is intrusive.

I considered not posting these thoughts because maybe people are tired of hearing about matters of race. Then I decided to post this anyway because even when I’m tired of dealing with racism I still have to carry it on my shoulders. I don’t have the privilege of excusing myself from the table. So why would I stop using my platform, albeit small, to advocate for myself and my people. As long as it keeps happening I’m going to keep telling the stories and humanizing the pain for “others” to be bombarded with the images like we are bombarded with the torment of this existence. I ain’t in no ways tied.