Besides being the most beautiful (in physical body, spiritual mind and soul) people on this God's earth, the benefits and added perks of being Black far outnumber the negative stereotypes mainstream America has labeled us with.

Staying Power

We have endured a lot of abuse throughout our stay here in America. There are only few nations of people who can actually say that. History records other nations that have suffered at the cruelties of taskmasters and they too, had to endure great sufferings, which made them a stronger people. Any kind of suffering and persecution makes a person's character durable. Having a durable character means that when times get really hard, taking your own life is not an option. This is why the Black suicide rate has never compared to that of whites as ever being higher.

Not that there were no Blacks who have ever committed suicide, or have even contemplated it, but the occasions are few. There are other heinous and life-threatening acts that we as people just do not practice regularly, such as attempting death-defying leaps from mountains and waterfalls, flying (we do not do too readily, not that there is fear, but flying actually lacks logic), or any event that includes high places and immediate death. The exclusion of such activities from the everyday Black list of things-to-do does not mean we are cowards, it simply means we are careful, which does not further imply lack of adventure, but rather preparedness.

Other characteristic that may seem weak to one race infers strength in another. Blacks have yet to grab hold of their true nature. We are not daring to the point of life threatening, but that simply implies reason. In other words, what sense does it make to put your life on the line if not for a great purpose? Now that we will do and have done before through the great leaders of the past who refused to suffer the pangs of slavery.

Courage is another characteristic that looms in the Black soul. If it ever really comes down to it, in other words, we would be there. The situation has to be threatening enough before we will partake, however. We must see a grave injustice before we leap to our defense, which reveals integrity. Integrity is that force within you that stands a long time in the face of injustice - to give justice a chance to shine through - before that final blow brings forth a righteous anger that demands justice. We will take so much for so long because we are a fair people by nature. Fairness is a great attribute to have because it means there is no outright demeanor of deception on the surface. We have no intensions of causing harm to anyone; we are the ones being harmed.

There may have been cases in Africa before the slave trade where tribes fought one another and deceived and lied to and all sins of mankind, but these were sins of willfulness, not of necessity. The sins we commit here in America are sins called from the anger of our hearts. In other words, no matter who says what about the actions of Blacks, there lies a deep anger in the hearts of ALL Blacks, that grew from the bitterness and anger of the roots before. The anger may not be as intense on some as in others, but it is still there.

Anger is nothing compared to our love. We love from the start. Because trust is a lacking ingredient in America, it is a lacking ingredient in many of us; however, our ability to trust remains if we are trusted. We are not trusted overall, not as a people, as a person, or as an employee, a neighbor, a teacher, a preacher or anything that requires special attention pertaining to advice, money, salvation, education, or anything that the others deem valuable. There may be some cases here and there where we are acknowledge for what we know and have done, but again, the occasions are few.

We can cry racism in a minute if we feel we are treated unfairly. Not that we are heard, but we do have that advantage because we are a minority amongst the majority. We can - and with rightful reason - blame them for things we do not have, opportunities we do not get, and recognition we do not acquire. This is not a cop-out attitude or a symptom of slothfulness; it is fact if one simply weighs them. We remain helpless in many areas as far as material possession is concerned. However, we endure.

We endure because we have hope. Hope is a powerful thing because it can make or break a person. If hope is lost, there is no future, but if hope remains strong, there is always a future. We have come far enough to consider where we are now, a future. Time has told that if the struggle is fought in courage, integrity, and hope, there is a future that waits.

Amongst all, our natural beauty; the various shades of Blackness, from the flatter-fawned toned of caramel so delicious to the eyes one must restrain the sinful desires to lick purfusiously, to the copper-toned look of rich brass polished finely with the hands of endurance, to the coffee-burnt glow that ever-so intimidates the cops, to the dark, deep-chocolate shine like the midnight ceiling of royalty, Blacks live in a body made with hands that took their sweet time to finish.

Our course hair, real tight: our seeing eyes: real bright: our thinking hearts makes our mind to start, knowing that we were made right. We all know there is no beauty like being Black. Look around at the other bodies and realize that.

© 2003 by AfroStaff