This week’s column is the result of ongoing discussions about the statute of limitations as it relates to crimes committed in America. As I listen and read about this important issue, it came to mind that the worst crime in the history of this nation was the crime of slavery, the ownership of Black people. As I write this column, the many discussions that took place between myself and the late president of the NAACP, Harvey Adams Jr., a number of issues would often surface where the action or non-action of Blacks were called into question. We had just concluded the picketing of a business and Blacks would ignore and walk in, not buy NAACP memberships, voted for any White endorsed candidate over Black candidate. The most blatant example was the Pittsburgh mayoral race between attorney Byrd R. Brown and Sophie Masloff. Attorney Brown was the most qualified candidate to ever run for the mayor’s position in the history of Pittsburgh.
One evening, several of us had just attended a meeting with Sophie and she could not believe how effective certain colored persons had been during the campaign and they were able to deliver a substantial number of votes that contributed to her victory. On the way home I said to Harvey, “What in the hell is wrong with Black folks, did you hear the amazement in her voice?” Harvey responded, “I continue to state to people regularly that too many of us suffer from the residues of slavery and I don’t believe it will ever be completely eradicated, and by the way, we have this conversation regularly.”
The violence that we perpetuate against other Blacks is a self-hate, some of us who have done all right look down on those who live on government checks and have limited education. A number of us occupy positions of alleged authority and become symbols, house ni___ers; these are perfect examples of the influence of slavery. The residue of slavery has also affected the descendants of the White slave masters. A number of White persons, who were social workers, police, public officials, and merchants, who made tremendous sums of money off us, would constantly expound on Black folks, “I KNOW THOSE PEOPLE.” They sit around the dinner tables and tell stories about the actions of Black persons and frequently present their families with distorted stories and those who listen will repeat the stories with more distortions.
History concludes that slavery in America started in the state of Virginia in 1619, and ended in the year 1865, but the actions perpetuated against Black people in America required Black Americans to be in the street of America in 1965 still seeking freedom, yes, 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
(Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a contributor to the New Pittsburgh Courier.)
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