I'm Black and I'm Proud

Black History speech: I'm Black and I'm Proud

As we come to the close of another black History Month, we have been reflecting upon our heritage. Upon such people as Chrispus Atticks, Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglas, George Washington Culver, Dr. Charles Drew, Thurgood Marshal, Malcolm X, and of course Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many, many more. And as we remember and review these names we realize that in any other society this would be a great list of historical figures. But being in the society that we are in, our contributions have been, to say the least, SUPPRESSED.

So therefore we have to acknowledge our own, since history will not acknowledge us we choose to acknowledge ourselves. And so this month of celebration and reflecting brings back to memory the contributions of the African American Community.

Down through the ages, we have been identified by many names. I would say to you today that I am proud to be an AFRICAN AMERICAN, I'm proud to be BLACK, I'm proud to be COLORED, I'm proud to be a NEGRO, I'm proud to be AFRICAN, I'm proud to be a CAANANITE, an AMORITE, a JEBUSHITE, a GIRGASITE, a HIVITE, an ARKITE, a SINITE, a ARVADITE, a ZEMARITE, a HAMATHITE: But most of all, I'M PROUD TO BE ME, A CHILD OF GOD.

You know I believe that if I had to choose which race I would belong to, I would chose the African American Race. And the reason why is because we are a sensitive people, we are a caring people, a spiritual and a loving people.

Although at times it seems like we are not pulling together like some of the other ethnic groups. But you see there is a reason for that, you have to realize that these other groups came here in pursuit of the American dream and the governments helped them every step of the way. And because of the way they came here, they were able to cling together, so to speak. But we, as a people came here in an entirely different way, we came here as slave, we came over shackled and bound in the belly of, nasty, filthy, rotten, disgusting, slave ships.

And as we began to realize that after all the growing up this nation has under gone and after all the growing up we have under gone, we realize that we are a people born to be reckon with, not so easy to be run over, ignored, pushed a side, but a proud people, a desiring people.

So beloved I salute you today and if you will allow me to paraphrase of one of our American slogans, "YOU'VE COME ALONG WAY BABY".

And I want to tell you that we have indeed have come along way, but that's not to say that there isn't still a ways to go; because it seems like we have been carrying our cross from the beginning of time, you remember that it was a black man named Simon the Cyrenian, who carried the cross for Christ. And then we as a people, were brought to America and