Slavery came a huge part of American history. And we can never forget about it. Because I know black people will never forget because it’s part of our history. The pain and memories of those who Died so we can go to school with our white counterparts. So we can drink out of the same water fountain and have romantic and sexual relationships with other races. We can work in the same industry. The American dream, that’s why everyone loves America. Because it’s secluded. Beautiful. Equal and it has equity. BUT the American dream only applies to people who are white.

     Police men back in the times of slavery, took slaves back who have escaped. They beat, killed, lynched them and used whatever force that was necessary because it wasn’t a bad thing or illegal. But then the 1960s came and slavery ended. But a new form of oppression, discrimination and slavery was born. Segregation!!! This kept black people and white people apart. We had our own schools without the proper tools to learn. We had our own water fountains that were probably not even clean. We couldn’t be friends with another race. We couldn’t even have sexual and romantic encounters with the other race. And then he came, Martin Luther King jr. but when he became the beacon of hope so did others. Like Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Frederick Douglas. And so much more. Even before the 1960s. 

     In the 2000s, segregation ended. Slavery has been over for decades now. But a new form of slavery is now here and its actually been an old form for decades. And that is police brutality. And for it to be a brutality against a specific group it doesn’t have to be the police. It could be by a racist person who is not on the police force. Like In 1955 a 14 year old was brutally murdered for alleged whistling at a white older woman. And in 2013 a 17 year old was dissected and stuffed with paper and put in a roll up mat. But most of the time when the police force does go rogue and kill an unarmed black man or woman people protest, and go to court. But the judge doesn’t decide if they walk or go to jail. The Jury does, and all the time the jury decides that they’re guilty because the only proof they have to go is the body armor camera which should be enough but it never is.

     So the jury lets them walk, until 2020 George Floyd’s death changed it all. There were a lot of people that day he died, when the police handcuffed him and kneeled on his neck. As he took his breath he called out and out until he died. The police officer got arrested and that trial went on for a while. Longer than any trial against black people ever. And it was awesome, his family got justice, and every black person got justice. I’m not gonna lie since Covid things have gone downhill. The Asians, Japanese and Chinese etc. started taking some of that killing heat. But that of course did not last, like I knew it wouldn’t. But since the trial, there hasn’t been anything else about black people in the media.

     There was one video for a short while about someone but I haven’t heard anything about it since. But on even more brighter news, black people can finally move on from the 1960s, from the 80s,the 70s, from slavery, and toss out oppression ,discrimination, and prejudice. And move on into the light and away from the darkness. We can finally go out and talk with our friends without someone afraid that we’re doing something bad. We can finally go out without the police stopping us and frisking us for no apparent reason discrimination. We can finally move on without the constant fear that we will be shot, and kicked, spit on and defaced,  hanged and raped, oppressed. If anything, fear doesn’t control us, we control it. I choose not to live in fear because fear will hold me back and stop me from doing what I really want to do after high school. Leave Holyoke and live on my own with my dog and friends. To find that perfect someone, to have kids, to have another dog and another one. To be a screenwriter and write movies and shows about black people without being racially criticized for it. To include black people in every story I write because black people have always been the victim and it’s time that we aren’t no more. We must change the pledge of allegiance so it can fit the truth, and we must rise from the ashes and blood of our fallen sisters and brothers and mothers and fathers. And We must kick down the doors of hell, the doors of power. Cause we’re here to stay. FOREVER!!!!

You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, and how you can still come out of it.

Maya Angelou