As a child, I looked back to move forward. I looked back at Thurgood Marshall, the great civil rights lawyer who was the architect of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. This decision cracked the wall of oppressive segregation constructed by the Plessy v. Ferguson Case of 1896 that forged the specious "separate but equal" doctrine. I looked back and commenced my journey to become a civil rights lawyer.
As a child, I looked back at the meanness of my mother and my grandmother to move forward. My Aunt Catherine told me about their meanness (neither of them would tell me). She also told me that they grew out of it. She also told me that I would grow out of my meanness. Looking back at their overcoming their meanness was the impetus for me to move forward in overcoming my meanness – my prevalent and dominant meanness.
I looked back at the life of Frederick Douglas and moved forward. As an enslaved person, Frederick Douglas was prohibited from reading and writing. He learned a little in spite of the prohibitions. He escaped from slavery and became a great advocate for the abolition of slavery. He became a great reader, a great writer, and a great speaker, and he utilized each skill to fight slavery. Looking back at his life helped me to commence my struggle against modern-day oppression. I still utilize reading, writing, and speaking in my struggles. Looking back to move forward.
I looked back at the life of Harriett Tubman and became determined to return to Alabama to struggle against the oppressive conditions of segregation and its legacies. Harriett Tubman escaped from slavery, which was a great achievement in and of itself. However, she returned to slave states 19-21 times to assist others in escaping slavery. I left Alabama for New York City, but I returned to Alabama for higher education at Talladega College. I left Alabama for Boston University but returned to Alabama to complete my college education. I left Alabama for Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass. but returned to Alabama to start a daycare center and a community organization. I left Alabama for Nigeria, West Africa, but returned to Alabama to practice civil rights law for the next 47 years.
I looked back at the one-of-a-kind slavery in America to more effectively fight the byproducts of slavery. I learned that American slavery was worse than any other slavery in the world because of the following elements: (1) Black people were considered subhuman; (2) enslaved Black people could not name themselves; (3) enslaved Black people could not have a legal family unit; (4) enslaved Black people could not practice their own religion; (5) enslaved Black people could not speak their native languages; (6) enslaved Black people could not share their full history; (7) enslaved Black people could not own anything; (8) Black children continued in slavery if their mothers were enslaved. When I looked back at slavery, I then understood much about today and how to better go forward in the future.
I looked back at the 200,000 Black men fighting in the Civil War with 40,000 dying. I then understood the extent that our enslaved ancestors struggled for their own freedom. I looked back at the hundreds of thousands of enslaved peoples escaping slavery and know that freedom did not come merely from Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation or even from Constitutional Amendments. Therefore, I move forcefully to fan life into laws that are mere gateposts on the road to freedom. Therefore, I can move forward to fighting oppression in my own way. I can also better urge other Black people to fight for their freedom from oppression. Looking back to move forward.
I look back at the civil rights struggles of the 19502, 60s, and 70s and move forward to struggles in the 2010s, 2020s, and 2030s. The odds were great against the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Birmingham public accommodations demonstrations, and the Selma voting rights struggles. But when I look back at how they overcame such great odds, I know we can overcome the lesser odds we face today and will face tomorrow.
I look back at the great challenges facing my mother and father and know that I can move forward against the lesser challenges facing me today. My father did not complete the first grade. He could not sign his name. My mother had a seventh-grade education. Together they had 13 children. One died early and another died in Vietnam. White supremacy was in its heyday. Yet, all eleven living children got good educations and are successful in spite of the continuing force of White supremacy.
I will continue to look back and move forward. I just wish more of our youth could experience the power of looking back so they could experience the reward of moving forward. I wish our education system understood the need and provided the opportunity for African American children to look back so they can more effectively move forward. Looking back to move forward.
Epilogue – It is powerful to look back to see how we overcame great obstacles to get from where we were to where we are now. But after we look back, we must move forward into the future with clearer vision, stronger steps, and lifting hands.
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