Mother of All Humanity

Harriet Tubman

It isn't easy being the Mother of All Humanity. My blood is liquid empathy because I have been through it all. I have had my future ripped from my bosom only to have the Misses babe latch on for dear life. I have watched my man emasculated, castrated, humiliated, hanged. Oh, please Massa don’t hurt my son – I have bravely borne each child conceived in love and in rape. I have bred, birthed, nursed with no say into what horror my spring would be delivered. I know rocking and wailing and wishing for death.  I have the Faith of a mustard seed staid in my Spirit. It tells Joy and Hope not to abandon my Soul.

Ida B. Wells

While I encourage my husband, brother, son and father to fight in war – soldier up for a nation that spits in his face, calls him nigger, puts him on the front line and denies him opportunity, if survival is his to be known; I don’t do it for us. For us, emancipation is just a big word. I do it for the future, my future dispersed – my country. I know you do not believe this is my country. But today I declare it. I am American. I am more American than you. This nation was birthed on my back literally, figuratively and Spiritually. I am the Prayer Warrior that keeps you. And before you can wash your hands clean. I am African. Black and deep and resilient. So bright I swallow the sun and mere mortals can’t see my shine. I may never step foot on my native land, or speak her tongue, or feel her warmth but I am she.  I am all of humanity, and empathy catches in my throat and streams down my face wondering why compassion had to die.

Mary McLeod Bethune

Shirley Chisholm

Wondering why I have to count marbles, and recite preambles in order for my voice to be counted. Wondering why I have to go through the door in the back, sit in the back, and just back back when my presence is your nuisance. Wondering why my face can’t represent my song, why my invention garners no dollar in my favor. I wonder why I am invisible. So, I march and boycott and sit in. I get arrested, hosed and bitten. I makeshift my own college, business, pageant, and magazine still based on your model and standard so my esteem can only go but so high. My towns beautiful and bright you incinerate out of pure unadulterated hate. And you wonder why there are black schools, fraternities, sororities, panthers, churches and NAACPs.

Maya Angelou

Nina Simone

Now we’re uppity and it’s not fair that Black Girls Rock. Oh, poor Becky. I still ride with you and your fight for equality. You conflate your struggle to own land, vote, choose and be compensated with mine. Even though your husband, brother, son and father have everything necessary to keep you on high and mine has none; so he too, turns to you for a giggle.  I ride with you because each step you take I lead the way and I raised you while your mother hosted polite society and swooned in the garden that I toiled. I ride, we ride, and I will pat your tears and sing your praises whenever your turn comes before mine to preside in the highest office.

Angela Davis

I am the Mother of all Humanity, so I wait for the prison gates to swing wide and free black bodies carrying the guilt of being black bodies thanks to men in black bodies who wonder. Wonder why people fight so hard for others to remain sick. Wonder why people fight so hard for others to remain poor. Wonder why people fight so hard for others to remain in the shadows. Wonder why people fight so hard for others to remain apart. Wonder why our mere desire for freedom gnaws at your traveling carnival pursuit of cannibalistic liberty. But I already know the answer. It is precisely because I Am the Mother of All Humanity. 

Oprah Winfrey