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Article Archive/August 2012
Updated July 30, 2012
America I Am Exhibit -- Gantt Center, Charlotte, NCcont'd.
Mixed Emotions!
 By Jay Whipple/Trend Magazine Online™
Next up they displayed some of the artifacts from everyday life as a Slave to include cooking utensils, various instruments, and Negro spirituals (known today as Gospel music). Here they committed a major faux pas as many Europeans do when referring to our past. I guess they are so confused with the many titles we go by, so am I occasionally, that they incorrectly identified the Slaves as African-American. Uhhhhhhhh, that term was not coined until late in the 20th Century. The correct civilized term to describe our people during Slavery, reconstruction, and leading up to the Civil Rights era in the late 1950’s was Negro or Colored. It is extremely important that anyone that is entrusted with writing our history correctly identifies the term for that particular era with reference to the current term. I typically write Colored or Negro (today African-America) – got it?
Next up is my favorite part of the overall exhibit – the rebellions. Many of our folks struggle with the notion of “turn the other cheek” which comes from the New Testament of the King James version of my favorite book; the Bible. I learned the King James Bible from my late grandmother (Meddie P.). Starting out as a child she would give us up to 25 cents for learning all of the books in chronological order and for being able to recite scriptures via rote (repetition). As an adult I have learned that -- along with creating us in his own image – God gave most of us enough common sense to apply each scripture to each particular situation we may find ourselves in from time to time. For example, how many times will you “turn the other cheek” if someone repeatedly slaps you upside your head? Will you allow that person to slap you unconscious or will you defend yourself? On that note, will we be free today if it were not for heroes like Telemanque “Denmark” Vesey (1822, South Carolina), Nathaniel “Nat” Turner (1831, Virginia), John Brown (1859, Harper’s Ferry),  Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Harriett Tubman (Araminta Harriet Ross)? Ask yourself, would we still be enslaved if it were not for the Stono Rebellion of 1739 (South Carolina), or the Gabriel Rebellion (Virginia) of 1800. Just like the founders of the United States, these heroes risked their lives so that we could be free. The country of Haiti (formerly Hispanola) led the way in 1791 and some say are being punished to this very day. Sadly, most of our people either do not know this or do not even care today. They also are not aware of the many Slaves that fought alongside the British to gain their freedom from Slavery during the Revolutionary War (1770’s – 1780’s). It would be nearly another 100 years before the United States would do the right thing and give our people what they themselves fought for – their freedom.
On that note, the next section features an actual copy of the  Declaration of Independence signed on July 3, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It would have been great if the exhibitors would have also included the un-edited copy of that declaration which included a paragraph condemning Slavery that was struck from the final version on display. I guess those signers did some soul-searching and realized that they were indeed being hypocrites considering some of them were Slave owners themselves; like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine on the other hand were staunch opponents to that inhumane and barbaric institution and as such I have a much higher opinion of those true Christians.
 The next section includes a pleather of items to include a heavy gauge chain used to tether the Slaves while tucked away as cargo on the ships. In addition, more information on my heroes John Brown and Sojourner Truth, and some attire either worn by or believed to have been worn by Frederick Douglass [cir. mid 1880’s]. Also, smartly posted in this section of the exhibit were copies of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments which freed, made citizens, and gave voting rights to my ancestors. Sadly, most Americans (Black or white) have never read the constitution or these amendments, while most new citizens of the United States have. This exhibit does bring out discussions among those of us in the know and is a catalyst to extra learning.
Up next, a Ku Klux Klan robe is on display. Most folks are not aware that this creepy organization was founded in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1866 by former Confederate veterans. Their sole purpose was to intimidate Blacks from exercising their constitutional rights to vote during the period of reconstruction (cir. 1870 – 1920) and up to the Civil Rights Movement (1950’s – 1960’s), and beyond. Somehow they slipped the Negro League Baseball era in here when it should have been later with the other sports memorabilia. Some local history is included next by way of the old Little Rock A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) Church building which is the pre-curser to the Gantt Center, and Clinton Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church (oldest Black congregation). The Tuskegee Airmen are next along with a spacesuit worn by Ms. Joan Higginbotham – an African-American former astronaut who now lives in Charlotte. This one left me scratching my head as she was neither the first Black nor first Black female to go into space. Those distinctions go to the late Dr. Ronald E. McNair (1950 – 1986), who on January 28, 1986 was the first Bla ck to go into outer space and a graduate of North Carolina A & T (Agricultural and Technical) State University in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Dr. Mae C. Jemison, who in 1987 is the first Black female to go up there over the clouds. So why aren’t they represented in this exhibit? Well, consider the fact that the Gantt Center is actually owned by the City of Charlotte, and that the Charlotte City Council overseas the running of the Queen City, and that her new husband is referred to as a councilman for life; well, you get the picture, right? Such a shame that politics would win out over true history. No disrespect to Ms. Higginbotham intended as her accomplishment is duly noted as the third Black female to fly into outer space.
Next up is the Civil Rights era and the actual key used to lock Dr. King into his cell in cir. 1967 in Birmingham, Alabama, leading to his now famous letter. It is indeed a shame that after all he went through – giving up his life – his living children have chosen to sell most of his artifacts and then squabble over the money. As such, I have learned a valuable lesson from their greedy, embarrassing and bizarre behavior and will make sure that this selfishness does not happen after my time has ended in this place. Missing from this section are the graphic images of lynching,  severe beatings, dog bites, and dead bodies left in the wake of this period of utter stupidity in our country. To see more of the real deal you will need to hop aboard one of our vehicles and head to the International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina, on our Greensboro Slavery to Civil Rights Tour™, presented by Queen City Tours® and Travel.
Finally, this exhibit ends on an upbeat note and features artifacts of African-Americans from the sports and entertainment industries. These multi-millionaires can thank all of the folks previously covered in this exhibit for their lavish and plush lifestyles of the rich and famous. Hopefully one day these African-American mega-millionaires will all come together and contribute a portion of their riches to own and display a similar exhibit that tells the full truth of our struggle “straight without no chaser.” You will see who they are if and when you check out this exhibit. If not, email me and I will fill you in on who’s included.
My journey through this exhibit ended at approximately 12:50 PM which is approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes from my starting time. Overall I have mixed emotions about American I Am. On one hand I must admit that it was well put together and displayed; except for the shadowy chains that followed me in the first few sections. Some of the content, however, in my opinion – as mentioned earlier -- was obviously white-washed and sanitized to no doubt obtain funding from its broad-based sponsors. I am quite sure that had Mr. Smiley funded this exhibit himself he would have told a markedly different story. But as the saying goes, “he who has the gold rules!” Don’t even think about snapping photographs or videotaping because they are not allowed inside the exhibit.
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