Thank you, Harriet

The other day I watched a movie about Araminta Ross. Otherwise known as, Harriet Tubman. A woman who is a pillar in black history, a staple in the black women’s story, honestly she was a boss.

Five years ago I would’ve watched this movie just to watch it. To celebrate the actress behind the role not thinking any more about it. But as I watched this movie, at 27 years old with my daughter resting on my lap, I realized something deep within my soul.

See Harriet Tubman saw the future through God’s eyes. She saw the fight Sojourner possessed, the determination Fannie carried, the courage Rosa would unleash, & the power within the many other influential black women that defeated the white mans lies.

Harriet fought & endured so Martin could dream, so Malcolm could achieve, so Barack could one day bring hope & upheave. Harriet fought so I could sit in my warm home on a cold winter’s day & watch this movie on my fancy, big screen tv.

I watched as Harriet returned home with freedom attached to her name, only to find her husband had married a new dame. Today we’d be broken by this news, turned fragile & blue; but Harriet turned her sorrow into rescues & continued, business as usual.

I listened as Harriet protected her rights. Rights that did not yet exist in the white mans mind. I kissed my baby daughter on her forehead because that is my right, as I watched Harriet continue on in this ruthless fight.

She ran from her massa, taking control from his hands and I watched as his “Bigger” killed Harriet’s friend. And while the character Bigger is not based on true facts, there were blacks in real life that truly were controlled & manipulated like that.

After witnessing this murder, Harriet boarded the boat. She left with rage within her & a hunger for vengeance throbbing in her throat. I knew right then that her strength knew no limits. She’d go on to avenge her friend & the many others that died that day, their deaths & their lives would not go down in vain.

I looked below at my daughter, a beautiful black girl. I ran my hands over her beautiful, bouncy black curls. A tear fell upon my chubby, black cheeks with more tears to follow — I felt so honored that Harriet would do this, go through this for me.

Thank you, Harriet. It’s you who helped make my dreams come true. It’s you who gave other’s the courage to not just endure the hand we were dealt, but to take back control & live life the way God felt.

Thank you to my great-great grandmothers, my great grandmothers, my grandmothers, and my momma too. For teaching the women after you that there’s more to life than just me, more to life than just you.

After allowing my thoughts to wander, I looked back down upon my beautiful, black daughter. I wondered if one day she would thank her mother, & the women before her. I wondered if she would cry one day looking down at her daughter. I wondered if she would cry & say, too —

Thank you, Harriet. It’s all because of you.