By Dr. E. Faye Williams
(Trice Edney Wire) – I spent the last week in Canada with friends from all over the world. They were so attentive to the lectures and the tour and they were eager to learn more about Harriet Tubman. We were attending a conference as guests of the National Policy Alliance—Canada. The conference host and Executive Director of NPA—Canada was Honorable Allister Coward. He is a member of the World Conference of Mayors as I am. He was assisted by Kendra Fipps, Don Mathias, Donna Marshall and others. What a great learning experience! We were reminded of our need to teach our history, but we can’t teach it if we don know it.
Mayor Johnny Ford, Founder of the World Conference of Mayors, led our team to Canada, with Mayor Jimmie Gardner of Pritchard, AL and President of WCM; Rev. Darryl Johnson of Mound Bayou, Ms; Hon. De’Keither Stamps (Public Service Commissioner for Central Mississippi District; Mayor Alberta C. McCrory of Hobson City, AL, leader of Historically Black Towns and Cities Alliance. Additionally, Dr. Abdoulaye Mbengue, member of the WCM as its Vice-President for Africa. All of us were conference speakers. Our team heard from many others.
We had a tour to Buxton, Canada. It was established in 1849 as a community for and by former African descent enslaved people who escaped to Canada to gain freedom. We had an opportunity to visit museums, schools, and we were treated to a masterful drama about Harriet Tubman who left our nation, knowing what problems the Fugitive Slave Law would present for people like her. She decided to make her exit and take others with her. If people were caught, they would’ve been severely punished—so Harriet was able to lead all who went with her safely by following her Underground Railroad.
All the speakers included Harriet’s triumphs, and added remarks about our working together as Mayor Ford always reminds us in the WCM and HBTSA about the benefits of working together to make progress in economic development and other areas for our communities. He reminds us often that “We Are together.” That calls for working together and doing business with each other.
Harriet had no fear leading others to freedom. After returning from Canada, she joined the Union Army as a nurse, cook, military scout and spy. She was successful in all those areas.
In view of all the efforts to set back our progress, we emphasized the importance of telling our stories since when others tell them for us, they don’t often talk about what our ancestors went through to get us where we are today. Our speakers emphasized the fact that if our children don’t know our story means we didn’t teach them. It’s our responsibility to teach young people our stories—because they don’t always hear them when we rely on others to tell a story they neither share nor live! Speakers who have museums emphasized the importance of our building museums and putting up memorials to teach what some of our ancestors did.
Listen to some of the songs of our past, and learn their meaning. For starters are Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”, James Brown’s “I’m Black and I’m Proud”, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes “Wake Up Everybody—No More Sleeping in Bed”, “Precious Lord” and so many more that have messages others can’t possibly know—especially DeSantis and Trump. They don’t know our stories.
We’re still facing many challenges, but let’s learn more about ancestors like Harriet Tubman. Working together we can heal our broken places.
Sit at the knee of our elders and ask them questions. You will know why it’s mandatory for you to know our stories and vote in every election!
(Dr. E. Faye Williams, President of The Dick Gregory Society and President Emerita of The National Congress of Black Women.)
