Black Love…Black Power

February is a special month…Black History, President’s Day and Valentine’s Day.  I thought about revisiting the issues of why Black History is celebrated during the shortest month of the year, but I’ve moved passed the assumption that the oppressor has only given us twenty eight days to celebrate our rich history and understand that I have an obligation as an African American to make each day of the year one in which I reflect on our storied history and education my children about their ancestors.  In the words of Carter G. Woodson, I have not allowed one to control my mind and in turn control my actions, thus this would not make for a good blog/commentary.

So I thought about President’s day and how I could tie that into my role as a mother and I reflected on leaders from Lincoln to Kennedy, to Clinton to our first African American, Obama who is now struggling with unrest on the political front as well as unrest worlds away.  

Then I looked at the most commercialized celebration of the month, Valentine’s Day.  I’m over getting last-minute, marked-down gifts, flowers sent to work and trying to squeeze in a romantic dinner while sequestering the kids in the basement with video games.

What then is there to be said about this month…as a mother?  That is what my blog is about, right?  Well, it came to me; black love and black power. That was the common thread as I looked at the calendar on the wall, which reminded me of the month long commitment to reading for my daughter’s school, the many doctor’s appointments, science fair and invention projects due, the workshop and commitment to church activities, working to meet a publication deadline and of course, carving out time for what is most important –the children and family in my life.

As a black woman and mother, I hope to have the spirit of Rosa Parks and Fannie Lou Hamer, the power to lead and commitment to my civic duty like Maxine Waters and Carol Mosley Braun, and the strength and fortitude to walk a different path like Mae Jemison and Leontyne Price.  I want to have the courage to teach, the vision to empower when others don’t see a way, the faith to love unconditionally and the child-like freedom to continue to fantasize and dream the impossible dream.

Those African American’s who have shaped our history, some giving life or limb, may not have recognized their power as the very moment when they were fighting for equality, civil rights, or peace, but they had the love in their hearts for themselves, this country and others to march on.  So to you I say thank you.  Thank you for showing me how to be a mother, activist, educator and spiritual force from within.

Celebrate this country, black history, black love and black power.