The Chains of History

This is a noble piece in honor of Black History Month;  written in the context of a dignitary. 

I built my time machine in a book. Fumbling through each page in black and white, I found myself eager to get to the colored pages with vibrant pictures of freedom. You see my friends, history can be very dark at times, a feeble mind can easily get distracted, especially when it’s told from one angle. Flawed narration can leave out some startling details. In times of trials, it may be wise to rely on the chains of history to help us understand how to connect the dots of present day chaos. In this chaos, the villain in the story may not play by the rules. He or she may cheat and steal. Playing the “Good Samaritan” role very well, cunning to be exact. To the reader, innocent characters may seem dumb and weak minded while searching for a way out. This may be why many choose the classroom with one chair off in the corner away from everyone else or why some choose to be self-taught. The entire process while working your way up to the climax can seem impossible to map out, so here are two segments of thought:

1. Races of people displaced from their native lands, many forced to live by the will of others while never actually feeling at home.

2. Entire cultures forgotten and tagged with heathen labels only to be dugout later in search for the truth. 

Friends, in present day it may be wise to take a breath. It may be wise to turn to the family photo album and try to focus on those who put out the flames; those whose passion is to save and keep others from harm. It may be wise to meditate and listen to the voice of reason— the voice guiding you to a peaceful solution. In the end, there’s no hiding from the past, it cannot be undone; we can only try and make the future better. As hard as it may be, try to weave your way through the confusion that this Black History Month may bring and slowly analyze the brutal stories from the past to understand present day circumstances. The stories of perseverance, strength and heroism may seem impossible to navigate while trying to calculate the probability of survival. Amazing stories, and on the final page when you notice former slave ships filled with children of all races carrying chains ⛓ as their homework assignments, it may be helpful to sleep on the bare floor for a few days. I’m sure it will make you appreciate the cotton sheets and warm cozy bed. Each serves as a symbol of historical value.

In present day, and present time, righting the wrongs of the past may seem impossible when it appears as if no one cares, but the future is a one-way street that we’re all on and there’s no turning back. Only the chains of history can keep us from making the same mistakes.

Each page is written in black and white until we get to the future. Let’s hope that one day we can all get on the same page and break away from the chains of history.