Debbie Linton-Gordon from the All Nations Baptist Church in Clapham, London, shares her journey from Nottingham to London and her experiences of racial justice.
‘Why We March’ the Year 1969 – Current Year 2020.
In 1969 the book Why We March by Soul Brother #44 (Earnest White) was published. I am Jamaican born and joined my parents at a young age in Nottingham. I read the book in 1973 aged 12 years old. On page 22 titled ‘How Come I March?’ I quote an extract from the chapter. “I march because once I thought I was alone. I thought that the world was on my neck… so I walked alone, hoping for a better day. Then, one day, I heard a mournful cry which sounded like me.”
After the negative advice from the school’s career adviser, I was left with the responsibility of determining my own career path. I then moved to London for a job opportunity in January 1981. In April 1981, on-going antagonism between Black youths and the police sparked the Brixton uprising. Over the decades I have heard about the untold deaths of Black men unfortunately at the hands of the police.
In 2020, Covid-19 lockdown and 47 years after reading the book Why We March, the mournful cry of George Floyd was heard by God and the world as a police officer knelt on his neck, two other police officers assisted and the fourth police officer kept the pleading witnesses at bay. They pleaded “Let him breathe man.” “ You’re gonna kill him.” George Floyd’s mournful cry is silenced. No more breathing. He died as a result of the excessive pressure of the police officer’s knee on his neck for 7 minutes 46 seconds. He died alone.
The pages of the book flooded back to me after nearly five decades from the cries and pain of watching the death of George Floyd. The centuries and decades of pain must be redirect into positive action. Positive action in re-educating a race who believe they are supreme over all races. Positive action in working alongside those where the door is ajar and leave others behind their own doors until they are ready to listen. Positive action by actively speaking up when the intention of the Black Lives Matter movement is compared to and marred by the violent intention and behaviour of the far right groups. Positive action when making references to “wanting our country back” or “bring back hanging (lynching)” are spoken in the context of the BLM or a Black person. Positive action by listening and implementing the recommendation of Black groups e.g. in the police force, such as the Black Police Association, in education, the hospitals and all institutions including the churches. What conversations will the churches have on the matter of inequality? Will Christians recognise the important roles of Black people in the Bible? Simon of Cyrene, a Black man, carried the cross of Jesus. He held Jesus up.
We were all created equal in the image of God. We are fearful and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14
We proclaim this and start the healing and celebrating Black lives, so they matter more than they do now to some.
Black people have played a major part in the successes of the UK, the USA and the world, in every sphere of everyday life. These are a few factual examples. It is a fact that Sarah Boone obtained patent rights for her improvement of the ironing board in 1892, which she designed to improve the quality of ironing sleeves and the body of garments. Henry A. Jackson designed the kitchen table in 1896. Lewis Latimer invented the carbon filament for the incandescent light bulb in 1881. The invention helped to make electric lighting practical and affordable for the average household.
Garrett Morgan invented the traffic light system on 1923 which has impacted the world. It continues to save all our lives.
The world is enriched by the inventions of Black people. The marching will one day end. Black people will no longer only exist but will be free to be significant, to live and be equal.
Debbie Linton Gordon ©2020
