School

Being Born Again (Conclusion)

"Grandmommas an' Granddaddys...Mommas an' Daddys...Chil'ren...Brothers an' Sisters in Christ...You kindly gave 'lots o' "amens" durin' this sermon. An' "amen" means "let it be so". Fo' some time now I've axed you to look into yo' hearts an' b'lieve de right tings. An right b'lief is impo'tant. But now, in dese times, I'm a' axin' you to look into yo' hearts an' do de right ting, too. Right action is impo'tant jus' as right b'lief is impo'tant. Right b'lief is de root an' right action is de plant. De root sits safely in de ground an' de plant comes out into de world an' is exposed to de harsh wind an' de hard rain, to de burnin' sun an' de 'ccasional freezin' night, to de hungry insects and to an unseein' foot. Fo' much time now we have been rooted in dis church, a' sittin' safely in our pews, b'lievin' de right tings. An fo' much time now black folks been rooted in deir churches all 'cross de Jim Crow South, a' sittin' safely in deir pews, b'lievin' de right tings. But now, at dis time, I'm a' callin' you to come out into de world. I'm a' callin' someone to come out and tell our school board, "Let our chil'ren have buses like white chil'ren have to get 'em to school and back home again. Let our schools be equal. We are human be'ins and we are a' standin' up for our human rights now!" Moses came out into de world, Jesus came out into de world, and God is callin' us to come out into de world. I'm a callin' you to expose yo' heart, yo' life, to de harsh, hard, burnin', freezin', starvin', unseein' world o' Jim Crow an' wit' right action call out to de white folks 'round us, "I am yo' equal, I am a human be'in". I need to speak plain to you. Dis right action will bring white retaliation. Folks wit' power, wit' social, economic, an' political power, won't share it without fightin'. Pharoh an' de 'gyptians didn't treat de Hebrew people as equals an' didn't treat dem as human be'ins without retaliation an' without a fight. De Romans an' de people wit' power didn't treat Jesus as an equal and didn't treat him as a human be'in. De Pharohs an' de Romans an de people wit' power an de Jim Crow laws o' de future won't treat people as equals an' as human be'ins without retaliation an' without a fight. But God led de Hebrew people into de promised land and God raised Jesus from de dead. An' right now, if we expose ourselves to de retaliation, if we stand tall durin' de fight, if we keep on sayin' an' livin' dat we are equal to de white folks in Clarendon County, in South Carolina, in de South, in de United States, in de world an' if we keep on sayin' an' livin' dat we are human be'ins', den dere is hope dat God's heart can use our hearts to bring white folks' hearts to life an' we will see a world full o' wonder fo' ourselves, fo' our chil'ren, fo' our chil'rens chil'ren an' dat world will be a more human world fo' us all. Amen. Let it be so."

Being Born Again Part 4

"An' let's talk 'bout de heart o' God. God has a heart fo' black folks an' fo' black folks an fo' folks o' all de colors on de Earth. God is de color o' all de people on de Earth an' God's law is jus' de opp'site o' de Jim Crow laws in de South. God's heart is de same now as it 'twas fo de Hebrew people in Egypt a long, long time ago an' as it 'twill be fo' people whose hearts are a' cryin' out forever in de future. An' always remember, God's heart is full o' wonder."

"De book o' Exodus tells us dat de heart o' God OBSERVED de mis'ry o' de Jewish folks in Egypt, HEARD deir cries on 'count o' dey task masters, KNEW dey suff'rins, CAME DOWN TO DELIVER dem from de 'gyptians, an' CAME DOWN TO BRING THEM UP out o' Egypt to a good an' a broad land, a land a' flowin' wit' milk an' honey."

"An' de book o' our lives here in Clarendon County an' de lives o' all de black folks 'cross de Jim Crow South tells de story dat de heart o' God OBSERVES de mis'ry o' black folks, HEARS our cries on 'count o' our task masters, KNOWS our suff'rins, COMES DOWN TO DELIVER us from Jim Crow, an' COMES DOWN TO BRING US UP out o' Jim Crow to a good an' a broad land, a land a' flowin' wit' milk an' honey, a land where we can walk side by side wit' white folks an' look dem in de eyes as equals an' as human bein's, a land where we can drink from de same water fountains wit' white folks as equals an' as human bein's, a land where we can eat at de same lunch counters wit' white folks as equals an' as human bein's, a land where black chil'ren an' white chil'ren can sit down beside each other an' learn together in de same classroom as equals an' as human bein's, a land where white folks soften deir hard hearts an' share deir social power an' deir economic power an' deir political power, a land where we are all equal an' human bein's."

"God's heart is full o' wonder. Deep inside o' God's heart dere is dat pecu'lar ting raises up life an' sets down death, dat ting dat makes de world a more human place to live in."

Being Born Again Part 3

"Now let's talk 'bout de hearts o' de people 'round us. Dey have de hearts o' white folks and dey have hearts full of wonder, too. 'Cause dey have de hearts o' white folks, 'cause o' de color o' dey an 'cause o' where dey live, deir hearts in Clarendon County, de hearts o' white folks ever'where in de Jim Crow south, are like de hearts o' Pharoh an' de 'gyptians in Egypt a long, long time ago."

"Dat same book o' Exodus in de Bible dat tells us 'bout de hearts o' de Jewish folks tells us dat de heart o' Pharoh an' de hearts o' most o' de 'gyptians was hard. De Pharoh an' de 'gyptians knowed de hearts o' de Jewish folks was in mis'ry an' was cryin' out on 'count o' deir task masters, dey knowed de hearts o' de Jewish folks was suff'rin', dey knowed dey was oppressin' de hearts o' de Jewish folks, an', even dough dey knowed dese t'ings, dey didn't offer no balm fo' de mis'ry an' suff'rin, dey didn't open deir ears to hear de cryin', dey didn't care. Dey hardened deir hearts, an' deir hearts was as hard as de Clarendon County ground after a month wit' no rain. Dey hardened deir hearts an' deir hearts was hard."

"An' de book o' de lives o' white folks here in Clarendon County an' all over de Jim Crow south tells de story dat de hearts o' white folks is as hard as was de hearts o' white folks is as hard as was de hearts o' Pharoh an' de 'gyptians in Egypt. Dey ain't off'rin no balm fo' our mis'ry an' suff'rin, dey ain't op'nin' deir ears to hear our cryin', dey don't care. Dey hard'nin' deir hearts an' deir hearts are hard."

"Dey know our chil'ren walk miles an' miles to an' from school ever' day but dey don't offer no buses to ease deir little, calloused feet, dey don't offer no buses like de white chil'ren have in dis county - dey ain't off'rin no balm fo' de mis'ry an' suff'rin'. Dey hear dat most o' our chil'ren done lef' school by de sixth grade an' 1/3 o' dem cain't read or write - dey ain't op'nin' deir ears to hear de cryin'. Dey won't offer us loans to he'p our farms survive, won't share deir harvesters wid us to get our crops in, but will fire us from our jobs when we stand up and speak out ag'inst dis injustice - dey hard'nin' deir hearts an' deir hearts are hard. Deir hearts are hard like de hearts o' Pharoh an' de 'gyptians, hard like de hearts o' all de folks who have oppressed other folks throughout hist'ry up to dis day, hard like de hearts of all de opressors to come."

"But deir hearts are full o' wonder. Deep inside o' deir hearts dere is dat pecu'lar thin' dat sep'rates livin' people from dead people, dat pecu'lar thin' dat makes it possible fo' dem to soften deir hearts an' become more human."

Being Born Again (continued)

"Let's talk 'bout yo' hearts and my heart. We hav' de hearts o' black folks and we hav' hearts full o' wonder. 'Cause we hav' de hearts o' black folks, 'cause o' de color of our skin an' 'cause o' where we live, our hearts in Clarendon County, de hearts o' black folks ever'where in de Jim Crow south, are like de hearts of de Hebrew people in Egypt a long, long time ago."

"De book o' Exodus in de Bible tells us dat de hearts o' de Jewish folks was in mis'ry an' was cryin' out on 'count o' deir task masters, deir hearts was suff'rin', indeed deir hearts was oppressed by de Pharoh and by de 'gyptians."

"An' de book o' our lives here in Clarendon County an' all over de Jim Crow south tells de story dat de hearts o' black folks are in de same kind o' misery as was de hearts of de Jewish folks in Egypt. Our hearts are cryin' out on 'count of our task masters, our hearts are suff'rin', 'deed our hearts are oppressed 'cause o' Jim Crow an' 'cause o' de actions o' de white folks 'round us."

"We hav' to step off de saidewalks to let white folks pass us by - dat's mis'ry. We cain't drink at de same water fountains as white folks do, even if our mouths are dry as dust during a summer drought an' there ain't no colored water fountain to be seen - dat's suff'rin'. We cain't sit as equals wit' white folks at de lunch counter or in de classroom 'cause we are treated as sep'rate an' unequal - dat's oppression. Our hearts are cryin' out like de hearts o' de Jewish folks in Egypt, cryin' out wit' de hearts of all de folks throughout hist'ry up to dis day, cryin' out wit' de hearts of all de poor folks to come, cryin' out 'cause o' mis'ry, suff'rin', an' oppression."

"But our hearts are full o' wonder. Deep inside o' our hearts dere is dat peculiar thin' the sep'rates livin' people fron dead people, dat peculiar thin' dat keeps us from a' dyin' out in despair but he'ps us cry out in hope, dat peculiar t'ing dat makes us human."

Being Born Again

As I've already told you, my Daddy is a farmer. I"m looking out the window, the same window Momma and I looked out of to see the winter snow, and see him kneeling in our garden, planting the plants. His skin is the color of newly plowed rows. Sweat is dripping off of his forehead and mixing with the sun and soil, nourishing the seeds so they can grow. When he comes into the house, he'll smell of the humble smell of dirt.

I think my Daddy's heart is faithful and soft. It's like a big, beautiful Better Boy tomato swaying quietly in the whispering winds of our southern, summer skies.

His soul is bright and gentle, like a yellow ear of sweet corn wrapping itself gently in tender husks, protecting itself from the searing sun, woolly worms, and harshness of life.

His mind is persistent and broad, like an engine running a plow, working through problems, fixing anything, accepting me, and allowing me to grow as the land accepts the seed and allows it to grow.

His strength is helping and enduring, like the Farmall tractor we borrow from a white neighbor, a tractor that keeps him from struggling behind a mule and a plow.

Yes, he's a farmer, a person of the land, and he's my favorite farmer. Just as he sows the seed and gathers our garden every year, so he sows faith, hope, and love into mine and Carver's hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and gathers us to himself.

One thing he's not, though, is a person of great education. As a matter of fact, I'm in the fifth grade and I've already gone past him in formal schooling. But he's a person of great faith. Every Sunday morning, after the chores are done and we eat our breakfast, Daddy, Carver and I put on our best overalls and Momma puts on her pretty dress and we go to church. It's there, listening to the sweet singing of the choir and the poetic preaching of the preacher, that Daddy finds Jesus, the Jesus who wants to free black folks from being hurt by white folkd and white folks from hurting black folks, the Jesus who wants him to work to make the world a better place for black folks and white folks, the Jesus who wants him to know good things and do good things. It's there, in church, that he learns about wonder, that wonder is the root that makes knowledge grow. It's there where he learns how to wonder. It's there where we all learn how to wonder.

I can hear those sermons and see that wonder with the ears and eyes of my heart. The preacher preaches -

"Grandmommas an' Granddaddys...Mommas an' Daddys...chi'ren...brothers an' sisters in Christ - Good mornin'! May de peace o' de Lawd be wit' you! Dis mornin' I want to talk wit' you 'bout de heart. Did you know de heart is full of wonder? A long time ago, a moment in time before Jesus was born, there was a seeker of wisdom named Aristotle. He taught folks dat de heart is de most important organ in the body. He studied baby chickens, and when he looked at those chicks, those chicks just as they started comin' togetha inside o' de egg, he saw deir hearts and made de observation dat it's de heart dat's de first organ to form. He taught folks dat de heart is de seat o' intelligence, that all o' de good t'ings we b'lieve and all o' de good t'ings we do come from our hearts. He taught folks dat de heart is a hot, dry organ and dat de other organs, like de brain and lungs, simply existed to cool it. He taught folks dat de heart is de center of our vitality, dat what is deep inside of it is de peculiar t'ing that sep'rates livin' people from dead people. He taught folks dat de heart is wonderful!"

Being Born Again