I have had quite a turn around academically within my first two weeks of classes at my HBCU. First, I changed my major to African American Studies which is clearly where my real passion lies. Also, I have decided that the only television I will be watching for the rest of this calendar year will be educational in some form or fashion. To start this journey, I went to the documentary section of Netflix and stumbled upon Bob Marley's biographical documentary. The film was brilliant and followed his entire life. It detailed his personal life and followed his career as he rose to stardom leading to his untimely death. The movie was engaging in almost every facet but the part that interested me most, and is the motivation behind this post particularly is something that the movie said perplexed Marley himself. The question was posed by the film's interviewer to one of Marley's band members. "Is there any one group that you feel like you didn't reach?" Without hesitation, he responded "African Americans." Black Americans as a whole never rode the Bob Marley wave, and this shocked me. The movie commented on how his American concerts were filled with nearly all white crowds every time. This peculiar fact perplexed me and this is an open letter from me to a man that created his own genre of music spreading love and positivity world wide.
Dear Bob Marley,
On behalf of Black America I would first like to apologize. I am sorry for our ignorance, our lack of recognition to genius and brilliance, but I would also like to explain. You rose to prominence at a time in African American history where were satiated. The mid 70's were the height of your career, 10 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The 1970's were the first time that the term "affirmative action" had been used in it's current capacity, to "level the playing field" for African Americans. Graduate programs went out of their way in search for Black applicants, in fact, The University of California at Davis dedicated 16% of its medical school admission spots to minority applicants. More and more jobs were becoming integrated, and many neighborhoods and communities continued efforts to integrate public school systems. Mainstream media at the time furthered the alleged progress as Blacks were becoming seen more on television, being featured in shows and commercials. I believe that during this time many Blacks were satisfied with how far they'd come and you sung words of freedom and liberty that White America had convinced us we'd already attained. Your music looked to uplift and unite Blacks in your own homeland while we were trying to fall into the folds of White American culture, and blend into the background of the tapestry that White America had created. While you preached power we were attempting to mold ourselves into who they wanted us to become. We were square pegs attempting to play contortionists to the round holes of their perceptions of who we should be. We'd finally gained the acceptance we'd been longing for since our voyages across the Atlantic. We simply could not support a rabble rouser at that time, and for that I am truly sorry. In our minds, our cowardice would've behooved us, made us more likable, less threatening, less Black. In 2016 we've learned that contrary to our beliefs, America may not be so star spangled awesome. Today, as our young Black men and women are being shot down and killed in the streets, we know that we may no longer sit idly by and watch it. Your music is now an anthem to a movement that unfortunately you are not here to behold. Your music was an original Black Lives Matter campaign, every song woven with love and unity. Your music has and will continue to inspire African American artists in a number of genres who strive to create music that matters and inspires. Reggae perpetuated love and unity, something we need more than ever in this day and age and for that we are forever indebted. Thank you for your art, your work, and your love.
Annie Moore
Dear Bob Marley,
On behalf of Black America I would first like to apologize. I am sorry for our ignorance, our lack of recognition to genius and brilliance, but I would also like to explain. You rose to prominence at a time in African American history where were satiated. The mid 70's were the height of your career, 10 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The 1970's were the first time that the term "affirmative action" had been used in it's current capacity, to "level the playing field" for African Americans. Graduate programs went out of their way in search for Black applicants, in fact, The University of California at Davis dedicated 16% of its medical school admission spots to minority applicants. More and more jobs were becoming integrated, and many neighborhoods and communities continued efforts to integrate public school systems. Mainstream media at the time furthered the alleged progress as Blacks were becoming seen more on television, being featured in shows and commercials. I believe that during this time many Blacks were satisfied with how far they'd come and you sung words of freedom and liberty that White America had convinced us we'd already attained. Your music looked to uplift and unite Blacks in your own homeland while we were trying to fall into the folds of White American culture, and blend into the background of the tapestry that White America had created. While you preached power we were attempting to mold ourselves into who they wanted us to become. We were square pegs attempting to play contortionists to the round holes of their perceptions of who we should be. We'd finally gained the acceptance we'd been longing for since our voyages across the Atlantic. We simply could not support a rabble rouser at that time, and for that I am truly sorry. In our minds, our cowardice would've behooved us, made us more likable, less threatening, less Black. In 2016 we've learned that contrary to our beliefs, America may not be so star spangled awesome. Today, as our young Black men and women are being shot down and killed in the streets, we know that we may no longer sit idly by and watch it. Your music is now an anthem to a movement that unfortunately you are not here to behold. Your music was an original Black Lives Matter campaign, every song woven with love and unity. Your music has and will continue to inspire African American artists in a number of genres who strive to create music that matters and inspires. Reggae perpetuated love and unity, something we need more than ever in this day and age and for that we are forever indebted. Thank you for your art, your work, and your love.
Annie Moore