Martin Luther King Day
Today is s a holiday marking the birth date of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., observed in the U.S. on the third Monday of January each year. In Asheville on this past Saturday, Shonnie and I participated in the 26th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast at the Grove Park Inn. It was an inspiring event, the largest of its kind, with over 1,000 people in attendance.
Mayor Terry Bellamy said a few words as did our newly elected Congressman, Heath Shuler. But the featured guest, Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary gave a spellbinding speech on post-traumatic slave syndrome, a wake up call to white folks and black folks alike. According to Dr. Leary:
Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS) is a condition that exists as a consequence of multigenerational oppression of Africans and their descendants resulting from centuries of chattel slavery. A form of slavery which was predicated on the belief that African Americans were inherently/genetically inferior to whites. This was then followed by institutionalized racism which continues to perpetuate injury.
I’m reading Dr. Leary’s book, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing, and her thesis rings true to me. From her website:
In her book Dr. Leary first exposes the reader to the conditions that led to the Atlantic slave trade and allowed the pursuant racism and efforts at repression to continue through the present day. She then looks at the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that our ancestors faced as the result of the slave trade. Next she discusses the adaptive behaviors they developed, both positive and negative, that allowed them to survive and often even thrive. Dr. Leary concludes by reevaluating those adaptive behaviors that have been passed down through generations and where appropriate, she explores replacing behaviors which are today maladaptive with ones that will promote, ensure and sustain the healing and advancement of African American culture.
By the way, if you’re from the Asheville area, and you want to move beyond racism with understanding and respect, sign up for the next session of Building Bridges beginning on January 29. For more information visit the website or e-mail info@buildingbridges-asheville.org.
Finally, to listen to Dr. King’s evoking “I have a dream” speech, click here.
Monday, January 15th, 2007No Comments »
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