Are Black History Funny Memes only for Black people?
Today is February 1st. It marks the beginning of the allotted month in which we celebrate our history, our culture, our pain and our struggles as Colored folk. In recent years, these Black history funny memes were introduced and they’ve thoroughly entertained us. I can say that I consider myself quite deeply knowledgeable on the struggles of our forefathers, but I can smirk at the slight accuracy and comedic timing of these images that are plastered all over social media. I am able to laugh because I am very in tune with African American culture. I will say that, since many share these pictures, I do have to brace myself when they appear on the timeline of someone that does not share the cultural background or knowledge of the history.
I do not share them on my own timeline for this exact reason. I dare not take part in the spread of cultural misappropriations as they have become so mundane that “others” lose their expected sensitivity toward the black struggle. I will not take part in trivializing Black History Month, because I do feel that “our business should stay our business”. But, I can admit, I will LIKE a post, screenshot it and share it with my Dad, or leave an LOL comment. (Don’t even think about coming for me, because I know you all do it too!)
I am a Comedienne, and I’m not so caught up in my own Blackness that I cannot laugh at our pain. Sometimes, all you can do is smile to keep from crying, right? All of the best comics have revealed that they have been able to turn their stand- up routines into lucrative businesses because people like to laugh at “pain”. Ours’ is a history so dark and deep that many times, we turned to comedy to make light of our seemingly “hopeless” situations. I’ve never been raped by Massa, never had to breastfeed a white man’s babies before my own were fed, never watched my children sold off into slavery, never watched my Buck Husband be whipped and humiliated because he tried to protect his family….. not funny, huh?
You know what’s even less funny, when people post these memes that know NOTHING of their underlying meanings.
SIDE NOTE: I also cringed when Jay and Kanye had an entire arena of suburbanites screaming, “N!ggas In Paris”. And don’t even get me started on Bobby Schrumda!
There are a group of us that very much study the pain of 400 years of Slavery, we’ve visited Underground Railroads and wept for our ancestors. We have heard stories of “Whites Only” bathrooms from our Grandparents, we have seen the numbing images of Black Men being lynched and castrated. We know the history. We embrace it. We know that African-Americans are a resilient people. We can quote the lyrics to Good Times and The Jeffersons. We can sing Negro spirituals, recite “Ain’t I a Woman?” and twerk in the mirror while looking at our Masters’ Degree on the wall in our homes! We are diverse, well rounded, multi- faceted. We are these things because we HAVE TO BE. We live in a society that reminds us everyday that we are, in fact, Black. We are so divided amongst ourselves that the hierarchies put in place to maintain the INTRARACIAL gap are still thriving. Sometimes we’re too Black. Sometimes we’re not Black enough.
We can laugh away the pain of the negative stigmas that have been forced upon Blacks. It is OUR and OURS alone. This is not an exclusion piece at all. Instead, it’s a reminder that some things should be sacred, reserved for its members. Spectators are welcome!
Don’t forget to check MissNaja.com everyday for YEAR ROUND Black History Facts!
We SHALL OVERCOME
If you’re interested in sharing more serious and INSPIRATIONAL Black History memes, check out this link http://heavy.com/social/2015/02/black-history-month-2015-memes-inspirational-quotes-facebook-cover/
I can definitely respect the opinion of the creator of this meme.
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