10/27/2026
I don't know why so many Black people love saying, "We are NOT our ancestors," as if that's supposed to be some powerful declaration. Y'all think it sounds good, but do you even understand what you're saying? Our ancestors were NOT passive, submissive, or afraid to fight back! They resisted, revolted, escaped, organized rebellions, and fought against their own enslavement. The white power structure literally established slave patrols, fugitive slave laws, and entire systems of surveillance, capture, and punishment because our ancestors REFUSED to submit willingly to their subjugation!
Our ancestors fought, bled, suffered, and DIED resisting white supremacy and the institutional structures that maintained their oppression. They laid the foundation for the freedoms and civil rights we exercise today. From enslaved Africans who organized revolts to abolitionists, Reconstruction-era political leaders, and civil rights organizers, resistance has ALWAYS been part of our history!
So when y'all proudly proclaim, "We are not our ancestors," speak for YOURSELF! Because I AM MY ANCESTORS! I have the same backbone, the same spirit of resistance, and the same refusal to bow down to white supremacy and systemic oppression that my ancestors demonstrated!
Stop confusing our ancestors FORCED circumstances with a lack of courage. Their enslavement was not evidence of their submission. It was evidence of the extraordinary violence and institutional power required to maintain their subjugation. I AM MY ANCESTORS! And I consider that an HONOR, not an insult! ✊🏾