Study & Meditation-02/10

To commemorate Love and Black History month, I have posted one of my works published in the Neighborhood Writing Alliance's Journal of Ordinary Thought, Winter 2009 edition, entitled "When Did Black Love Go Out of Style?."  The Neighborhood Writing Alliance provokes dialogue and promotes change by creating opportunities for adults to write, publish, and perform works about their lives.  Enjoy as you ponder this piece in my Study and Meditation Room. 

Teresa R. Jones

Author, Return to Your First Love

When Did Black Love Go Out Of Style?

Two-thousand-eight has been one of the most eventful and exciting years of our life time.  For the most part, this is due to the fact that for the first time in our country's history, a Black man has won the Democratic Party nomination to run for president of our great country.  In spite of the fact that we probably live in one of the greatest countries in the world, the United States has always had more than its fair share of controversy in which this current year's election has brought to the forefront.  Most of the controversy has been overt, but a great portion of it has been covert as well.  With that said - maybe it's just me, but I can't help but to feel that the latter is in operation when I saw the Obama's on the cover of a popular magazine with the following caption:  "Michelle Obama--, Why Barack Loves her."

I'm sure if someone were to challenge the magazine on their play on words they would probably have a reply along the lines of "We are only stating the obvious and solidifying the positive."  I will give the magazine the benefit of the doubt and ignore that the first letter in the word "her" in the title is in lowercase.  However, I struggle with the choice of the word "WHY" being used in this context - which implies that a question is being asked or an explanation is being demanded.  Suspicious that this may be the case causes me to raise a question of my own, "When did Black love go out of style?"

Why does the love between Black couples have to be in question?  Do the stigmas of the past cause some to believe that Black love is not valid because once upon a time in our country Black marriages were denied?  Or since most Black families are run by single parents, some have forgotten that Blacks and marriage can be used in the same sentence?  I guess since many believe we are incapable of learning, they probably believe that we are incapable of loving as well.  The way I see it, if anyone had any questions about whether or not the Obama's would succeed as a couple, they should have been posed prior to October 1992.  Anytime after that, "Let no man put asunder!"  I also believe the subtle question that is being asked is:  "Can Michelle prevail as a suitable first lady of our next president?"  From Martha Washington to Laura Bush all the world has ever seen is America's First "White" Lady throughout U.S. history.  But who decided, and better yet who has proven that the pigment of one's skin determines how successful they will be in their personal or professional lives?  When it's all said and done, the true worth of an individual is how well they developed their character, intelligence and skills during the course of their life time.  A marriage is empowered when you have a man and a woman that are already whole and come together to complement each other. 

Why must the Obama's be the exception and not the rule?  We have witnessed many Black couples that have made marriage work.  We have Martin & Coretta, Malcolm & Betty, Ossie & Ruby, Bill & Camille and Will & Jada just to name a few.  I'm even inclined to add my own marriage to the list.  There has always been and always will be power in love - this is also true for Black love.  At the end of the day, Black love is no different from any other love.  We share all the same emotions and characteristics of any other ethnic group.  We laugh.  We cry.  We learn.  We grow.  We struggle.  We overcome.  We fail.  We succeed.  We hurt.  We heal.  We plan.  We progress.  The sum it all up, we too know how to love.