Redemption of Black America
This short piece compares the importance of the times of Slavery and the movement of Redemption (1960s) and compares their episodes based on their impact on American society.
Slavery, in no undermining sense, developed within the very soul of a black man: strength. His power to withstand grew with immensity; while equally mentioned and with similar importance: the soul of black woman developed with quiet power and with ever anticipating reverence in the minds of American women of the time. Confidence stood undoubtedly as their hope; while faith (mentioned alongside the everlasting Promised Land, spoken of only in extreme secrecy in the deep marsh forests of Mississippi) was their shield for life. There is no question of the importance of slavery, particularly when it comes to the development of the character of a slave man or woman as generations ceaselessly passed by. But, perhaps the more common answer in terms of importance of episodes on the path of American history, “redemption” remains the swift and bold sword that finally found its way into the hand of a young, handsome black soldier; however was rarely used in the time of the Father of The Redemption Movement: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Redemption stands out, not only because it is much more recent in the minds of Americans, but because it also traced its steps along America’s early development into a fully-functioning and successful democratic society. As the United States engaged in two world wars and Vietnam – black Americans predominantly residing in well-known Montgomery, Alabama, the Great Migration target of the North: Chicago, as well as the projects of New York City, were representative to black feeling all across America: fighting a much less violent encounter, yet all with the same ideology as our young soldiers overseas: the demolition of a hated, racist, and demobilizing theory of rule.
Qualities of the Redemption that are worth being stated: first generation blacks who grew up with a solid education; and with the knowledge of their own capabilities of climbing successfully (although with some limitations because of restrictions on society) each tier of the ladder of promotion. A change in mentality – speakers such as Martin Luther King made it clear that equal rights for all citizens regardless of race should be the ideal set of circumstances for the American society to live, strive, and invest in. And we should in no way settle for less than this. Other leaders such as Stokely Carmichael, while not sharing King’s “Gandhian” principles of nonviolence, stirred a brewing and growing mixture of Black Pride, Power, and Nationalism. I believe that King and Carmichael were common in the sense that they envisioned coherently an age and a generation when young black children will be nothing but proud of their dark skin, and rough heritage. A time when, black children’s confidence will be nothing but sky high; and their capabilities nothing but infinitely limited. And this, my dear and curious friends, is precisely why the Redemption is close to relation with fierce phrases of adjectives of description such as, ‘forever fascinating,’ ‘unable to be matched,’ and ‘an irreplaceable and necessary movement in America’s past.’
It was a change of heart, an alteration of the belief system of Black America, an educated and more professional way of viewing race matters (thank goodness to the Baby Boomers), and a long withstanding faith in the beloved Promised Land – that finally was achieved and motivated the American people to climb over the final peak of the Mountain of Racism and Prejudice. And it was this motivation – precisely – that separates and places a line of division between the times of Slavery, and the importance of the movement of Redemption.
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