by Eric Payne
Earlier this year I took the family to see the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It was opening night/family night at the Fox Theatre here in Atlanta and the place was packed. A record 4,200 were in attendance not only to see the first performance of a 4-day run here, but also to witness history in the making — 50 years of Revelations (the show’s finale) and the last production by Judith Jamison, the heralded artistic director of the troupe following the passing of Alvin Ailey himself. She is retiring this year.
As my daughter bounced about on my lap, my wife sat beside me smiling and moving in her seat, and my son sat there begrudgingly appreciating the dancers’ energy, I was reminded of my own past.
I’ve been going to see the Alvin Ailey Dancers since before I was in high school. I can’t remember the exact why and how of it, but I know it was a school-based activity that became an annual pastime for me up through high school. I never had any qualms about men in tights. I think I was always too caught up trying to figure out how they were able to contort themselves so gracefully or hold up their female dance partners with one hand. Not to mention that both these male and female dancers are built like superheroes.
As I watched I couldn’t help but think back fondly on my own childhood being reared to know most if not all the history that came before me. Inventors, artists, scientists, scholars all lined the walls of my home. An uncle was nationally renowned in the arts — a sculptor, painter, and photographer. He actually designed the logo for the United Negro College Fund, something I never knew until he passed several years ago.
365 Days of Black History
Up until the past two decades many of us were raised with the idea that there was more to life than being a professional athlete or an entertainer. The influence of pop media culture didn’t drown out education the way it does today. One of the best basketball players I knew growing up opted to be a doctor in Chicago. One of the fastest track athletes who I had the agony of running alongside in high school is an architect. But even our history in sports is a fabled one that includes greats like Jesse Owens, Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson, just to name a few. My personal fascination regarding African American history were the inventors. To this I know who invented what, regardless of whether they got credit for it or not in my schools’ textbooks. My father saw to it that I was informed. Black History Month was merely a formality, a highlighted 28 days of the 365 that were a part of my daily existence.
African American History month is more than 28 days in February and a handful of Martin Luther King, Jr. audio and video clips. It’s Charles Drew, Benjamin Banneker, Elijah McCoy (the “Real McCoy”), and Madame C.J. Walker – the original “Mary Kay,” all the way up to the current king of the summertime activity, Lonnie Johnson – A ROCKET SCIENTIST – who created the “Super Soaker.”
But why focus on any of this at all? Because for me African American history is all about letting the little ones know who proceeded them so they know that they can do it too and do it in their own unique way. Especially when someone else (no matter their ethnicity) attempts to sidetrack them by telling them what they cannot do or laughs at their ideas and aspirations.
Do you use our rich history in this nation and abroad to instill confidence in your children? If not, how do you do this?
Follow Eric on Facebook and Twitter. He is the author of DAD: As Easy As A, B, C! coming this Fathers Day 2011, and has written the articles Investing In An Emotional Letdown and the now infamous, My Wife Is NOT My Friend (on Facebook). He keeps it candid about being a man, dad and husband on his blog, Makes Me Wanna Holler.com.