One is astonished in the study of history at the recurrence of the idea that evil must be forgotten, distorted, skimmed over … The difficulty, of course, with this philosophy is that history loses its value as an incentive and example; it paints perfect men and noble nations, but it does not tell the truth.
WEB Dubois, Black Reconstruction (1935)
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I wrote this book from the position of a Black American who wants the struggles and survival of his people documented and told from the lived experiences of people who lived through the dark days of this country. This book comes at a time when Black history is either being removed or recast in a way that minimizes not only the black struggle but also the contributions our ancestors made and continue to make in establishing this great America (small “g”). History, for me, is important not because of the trite reason that if we don’t remember the past we are doomed to repeat it, but because history informs our present and our future.
This project started as a personal endeavor as part of my professional journey. However, fueled by this country’s inability to engage with its racist past and efforts to eliminate the Black experience, the significance of this work has grown profoundly, evolving into a mission that transcends academic boundaries.
It is no longer just about documenting the stories of individuals. Now, I feel it is my ethical responsibility as a scholar and Black person to tell our story as widely as possible during a time where historical truths are being eliminated in this country. Such efforts to remove the ugly truths about slavery, oppression and disenfranchisement are merely failed attempts to paint a picture which suggests this country’s greatness in rooted in whiteness; where the accomplishments of Black people are being systematically removed from places they earned, while those of their white counterparts remain.
Such attempts to rewrite and whitewash our history are shameful at best and disrespectful at its worst. It simply does not tell the truth. When we lose sight of the truth, an understanding of the present and the ability to shape the future of our country for the good of all is stripped from us.
This book is based on the lived experiences and stories of Black people who lived through and survived a racist America. I believe storytelling holds immense power—not just as a way to preserve memory, but as a means to confront truths that demand recognition. This book is a product of that belief, an endeavor to honor the resilience and achievements of a community that has endured, resisted, and thrived despite systemic barriers.
To me, history is not merely a sequence of dates or events, but a mosaic of lived experiences, each piece contributing to the greater narrative of who we are as a people. I fully believe that when we lose history, we forfeit the context for understanding what is happening today. While this is a story of a small population of Black people, their individual experiences may not be unique, but they are told. There is power in telling, recording, and publishing these real experiences. These voices represent the experiences of thousands of Black people who came of age in a racist and oppressive America.
While this is a story of Black America, it is also the story of America.