Crimes Against Blackness: An Essay
We were three hours away. My anticipation grew with each passing mile. I’d never been before; I didn’t know what to expect. Uneasiness gnawed at me most of the way. It was as if I’d eaten something spoiled. Road trips were supposed to be exciting, but this one was different. As a Black man and student of history, I needed to see it for myself. The wide open midwestern plains made their presence known. Livestock, gentle rolling hills, and blue skies as far as the eye could see were everything I’d imagined Oklahoma to be.
Downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, finally came into view. The city was a bedrock of rich Black history, triumph, and sorrow. It was a stark reminder of America’s transgressions against Black people; a sin it hadn’t yet atoned for. I remember how I felt when my feet touched the pavement. Walking through Greenwood was both surreal and gut-wrenching. Soulful murals and carefully placed monuments reminded all never to forget the massacre that took place in the spring of 1921. Remnants of that fateful day, hidden in plain sight, stood unbothered as America vehemently refused and continues to refuse to right its wrongs. The destruction of Black Wall Street is still bothersome because their campaign against Blackness continues. Their lust for death and destruction fuels their imperialistic pursuits.
I was reminded of my journey to Tulsa as Christmas night came to a close. The house was quiet. Debris from the day’s festivities lingered. Wrapping paper fragments from an eager toddler stuck to the bottom of my feet as I made my way into my office to unwind shortly before bed. I promised myself I’d avoid the news; it was Christmas after all, but messages about a strike in Nigeria encouraged me to confirm.
The American attack on Nigeria is reprehensible. They went from blowing up boats in the Caribbean to attacking the motherland. Congress must do its job. This country cannot continue to operate like a criminal enterprise. It’s a danger to itself and the world.
It’s important to understand the parallels between events like chattel slavery, Jim Crow segregation, the Tulsa massacre, Rosewood, the Tuskegee experiment, and so many others. The attack on Nigeria, although outside of America, is another example of their hatred toward non-white peoples. They see Africa as fertile ground. The abundance of natural resources is enough motivation to rain down fire from the skies in the name of God. One thing remains true today: they’ll always justify violent acts against Black skin. They’ll use religion as their guiding light. Different day, same playbook.