Acts of Resistance in Alabama

I was stunned during an interview in Rome with Vatican Radio when the journalist introducing me as a native of Alabama mentioned that the state was known globally as a place where people of African descent resist oppression. Her words touched me deeply because she too belonged to the African diaspora. With her statement she did not deny or whitewash the living oppression of racism and white supremacy, but she did affirm the resistance of the oppressed and marginalized.

For some, to simply exist in a Black body is an act of resistance. Seeking to make the most of this life or wanting to make the world a better place by embodying hope, joy, love and peace in a Black or Brown body is too much for others. Not succumbing to the weight of injustice can be harrowing, but there is a profound grace in recognizing we are not the first generation to face racism and white supremacy. While it is disappointing to also recognize we are not the last to face the challenges, we know that our resistance bears fruit for future generations. We continue to pay it forward as our ancestors did.

Leslye’s Labyrinth is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Looking back on my lived experiences, my ancestors and my heritage, I see a strong tradition of resistance that is celebrated whenever we gather as family. The celebration is observed even when the word “resistance” is not spoken. This resistance, held in our bodies alongside intergenerational trauma, is an embodied remnant of African wisdom. It secures us on the shoulders of our ancestors as we develop new ways of resistance against the shapeshifting of racism and white supremacy.

Following the death of his father in a white body, the life of a great-great-grandfather was threatened. His act of resistance resulted in him changing his surname and moving to a different county. My paternal grandfather would tell of how on his walk to school he was beaten and his lunch stolen by boys in white bodies. The attacks stopped when he followed the advice of his grandparents and defended himself. In sharing this, I must acknowledge the risk of death for persons in Black bodies who engage in self-defense.

From our earliest days on this land, our humanity, knowledge and wisdom were dismissed. Forced to learn the English language enough to follow orders, learning to read and write was illegal with harsh consequences. Yet, resistance led many to do so. Following the supposed end of chattel slavery, schools became a priority for the formerly enslaved.

Education was recognized as an important tool to supplement other skills, if they were to advance in society and resist oppression. This would have been manifest in different ways across the country. With higher populations of people in Black bodies throughout the south, education evolved with the founding and growth of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Going through belongings of my paternal grandmother, I was surprised to learn that she had studied Latin in high school in the early 1920s. After completing the eighth grade, the highest level in her hometown’s “colored” school, she and her sister were sent to board with a family 50 miles away so they could complete high school. Her sister went on to college and became a teacher.

While my grandmother was a full-time homemaker, she encouraged the education of her children, and was engaged with the betterment of her community. Her children resisted oppression by becoming educators, and contributing to their respective communities. Another act of resistance by her and my grandfather was her not working outside of their home as a domestic.

Though she had limited resources, one of my maternal great-grandmothers provided for her children and built her reputation on being trusted to launder and iron the long sleeve white cotton shirts of business men in her community. Before pursuing college, men in my family became master brick masons and master carpenters recognized for the exceptional quality of their work. Other family members chose to pursue careers in military service.

While neither trades, education nor the military alleviated the influence of racial injustice, they did offer opportunities for many people in Black bodies to provide for their families and build lives. It was an act of resistance against the lies of racism and white supremacy. Whether in a classroom, on a worksite, or at another location, they modeled different ways to embody resistance.

Resistance is an act of faith whether undertaken individually or collectively. It is a survival technique of my legacy. It is a way of acknowledging the greatness of the One who creates all that is - seen and unseen, the One who breathes life into us. Early we learn the mystery of oppression becoming impotent for those secure in embodying the reality of God’s love. Through resistance, we uplift the truth of our humanity and dignity.