A prisoner is tied around a pickaxe for punishment in a Georgia labor camp in the early 1930s. Georgia had as many as 14 different labor camps at the beginning of the 20th century. The camps held men convicted on often-bogus charges, and then leased them to state and local officials to pay off fines or fulfill hard-labor sentences.
James English (pictured) operated his brick factory with almost entirely black forced labor. Millions of bricks used at the turn of the 20th century to pave the sidewalks and streets of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods came from his brickyard.
This abandoned convict “keep” at a lime quarry in Lee County, Ala., held forced workers at night.
Joel Hurt (pictured) who one guard said believed the forced workers in his coal mines could never be whipped too much, was also chairman of Atlanta’s Trust Company Bank. Leveraging his interests in real estate and mines worked by prisoners, Mr. Hurt was Atlanta’s most energetic deal maker and buyout artist.
We are incredibly naieve if we think that things in America has changed. For certain, they have not. It’s uplifting to see that many Blacks in America have acheived some degree of success; however, we have not managed to mend the core link in our culture.
The reunification of the Black Family is, was and always will be the avenue through which Blacks in American can fully acheive their dream. This requires that the Black man assumes his rightful place in the life of his family and that the Black woman gladly welcome him back without all the criticism and condemnation that he already faces in the eyes of the world. It’s o.k. to be angry but do not stay angry, save that energy and focus it wholeheartedly on your dreams, goals and aspirations. Every dream realized has been accomplished through great sacrifice and concentrated effort.
This act of reunifying the family is not a simple one; because we are all walking wounded. However, it begins with the recognition that I(we) need to do this for the survival of the Black race. There is no easy answer, but as we(they) continue to spend time analyzing the problem, dissecting it, assessing and reassessing it lives are being shattered and dreams are being lost, daily.
If each one of us would choose to conscientiously address some component of the issue in an action-oriented manner; we can begin to peel away at the tearse layers of dysfunctionality that belies our people. Even those whom appear to have arrived are still dealing with psychological issues-they have learned how to mask them in opulence.However, deep inside them there are still horrifying, uncertain shadows, which can be disturbed at anytime.
This nightmare was 400 plus years in the making; it will easily take twice as long to eradicate it. There is a great deal of uncovering to be accomplished; but, we must begin somewhere. I pray that we heed the call and get started. Black people, no one cares for us more than we care for ourselves, nor should they.
Thank you for your site
I made with photoshop backgrounds for myspace,youtube and even more
my backgrounds:http://tinyurl.com/6rbxmr
all the best and thank you again!
ME AND MY 14 YEAR OLD LOOKED AT THIS OF COURSE WE GOT MAD..BUT WE ALSO REALIZE HOW STRONG OUR ANCESTORS WERE.
YES! Isn’t it amazing how a group of collective people have managed without any help continue to succeed. We indeed are AMAZING!