The Importance of Telling Our Stories

Rewriting History will Take Effort

The history of so many of our ancestors has been silenced.

Those of us that have succeeded in understanding and uncovering the truth of the past have done so with diligence and patience.

Still, there are missing pieces of the puzzle that frustrate the experience.

Will the stories of African descent ever be within reach of the masses?

Admittedly, this is an area I could use more study in. What’s readily available to African Americans wishing to study their heritage are stories of the middle passage, slavery and the civil rights movement.

All painful history that seems to span back as far as almost anyone can remember.

I remember my uncle, at a young age, telling me stories of our history. That black people built the pyramids and used to stand in power. I would sit in admiration for hours wanting to hear more.

Daydreaming about Queens and Kings and emperors and empresses. Beautiful men and women that looked just like me that stood with their heads held high, draped in silver, gold and emeralds, connected to the Gods and themselves in a divine and royal manner.

I search for the history of those stories and they are hard to find.

Yet, any glimpse of them in articles, museums or hearsay touches my soul in a magical way.

I do not have to see the depth of my history in a textbook to understand it’s reality. I feel it in my soul. I connect with my ancestors with every vein running through my body and every hair that raises to the touch of their presence within my spirit.

But, it is still important to acknowledge just how powerful it would be to normalize and pass down this history to our children and grandchildren.

Imagine if normalcy wasn’t just in our strength and ability to overcome, but in the pride and respect of our rich dignity and heritage.

Imagine if it was normal to have a role model that did not struggle with humiliation just to become a hero. There are plenty of stories out there that mirror this idea.

My fear is that we just aren’t telling them effectively.

What if my uncle had written his understanding of our past down?

If even in the simple form of a child's story book.

Imagine how beautiful it might be for me to pass that down to my babies one day.

Imagine how impactful that could be to their upbringing and understanding of themselves. That instead of just stories of a deep rooted past in slavery or some subservient standpoint, true dignity and heritage was passed down to them as well.

Our self worth as a people is deeply connected to our understanding of ourselves. While there is great strength in our ability to overcome, in our ability to rise above so many periods of hatred and attack on our people; there are still other stories of strength that aren’t always connected to such pain.

I want to be clear that I’m not saying that we should abandon those stories and their impact on our past and culture, what I’m saying is that it seems those are the only stories available and that is not a true reflection of the depth of African culture and history.

We have so many stories to be proud of and to relish in. All of our stories need to be told, loudly and without apology.

There is no better time to start storytelling than now.

As our power, pride and understanding of the truth behind our rich African heritage deepen, we have a strong responsibility to record our stories. Past, present and future.

Our dreams of dancing with the stars are coming true, even today, but if the stories of this beauty can’t reach the masses of our people, we have failed one of our brothers or sisters somewhere who is seeking a deeper understanding of themselves.

The division between our people will always be an obstacle, but there are some of us who have been touched by God to do our due diligence to break the walls of silence down and uplift our brothers and sisters who are searching for truth and deliverance.

So many of us still live and operate in a state of fear and submission. A state that we have been born into at the hands of generational traumas, untold truth and political and societal structures meant to hold us in bondage.

Do not take for granted that there are people who want to find and embrace their truth and power, but do not have the means to do so.

Just like Moses (Harriet Tubman), we should be uplifting and carrying along with us our people in need who wish to be delivered but don’t have the means to do so by themselves.

It is our responsibility as a people to protect and uplift our culture. If it were to diminish, it is because we allowed it to do so. We are a powerful force of spiritual beings. We must embrace and hold that with strong responsibility.

Telling our stories, those rooted in pain or the simple pleasures of life, are a step in letting our brothers and sisters know that they are not alone. It’s a step in the direction of claiming, embracing and sharing our history with pride and dedication. We cannot afford to continue to wait for the next man to do what we can do for ourselves today.

The more of us that take the time to deliberately paint our brushstrokes in history, the more success and pride we have as a people. The more beautiful the canvas of our heritage. The more colorful the dances of our spirits.

If you have a story that you would like to tell, no matter how seemingly small or large you think its impact might be, we are willing to assist you with your contribution to the culture. Please subscribe and contact us if this is something that you would like to learn more about.

Be a deeper part of history.

Lay the groundwork for your legacy by telling your story.

With love,

Nicole Brittney, Author of Uncovering Your Power