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I'm Done Turn The Page--> Grandpa, Is Everything Black Bad? By Sandy Lynne Holman Illustrated by Lela Kometiani For our grandparents, Rufus, Willie-Lee and Tamara
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> 1998 story and illustrations copyright Grandpa, Is Everything Black Bad? by The Culture C.O.-O.P. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form and by any means, electronic and otherwise except that brief passages may be quoted for reviews. For information regarding permission, write to The Culture CO-OP, P.O. Box 463, Davis, CA., 95616. Published by The Culture CO-OP. The Culture CO-OP™ and the rainbow of faces out of Africa logo are trademarks of The Culture CO-OP. Publisher's Cataloging in Publication Data J 158.1-HOL ISBN: 0-9644655-0-7 LCCN: 95-067793
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> It's dark, black and scary I like watching TV, in my bedroom at night. but sometimes I'm sad So I hide under the covers because most white things are good when Dad turns out the light. and most black things are bad.
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> People wear the color black Grandpa, is everything black bad? when somebody dies. They look very sad and have tears in their eyes.
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> Grandma says hide in a bush Aunt Barbara says my skin when a black cat walks by is darker than most others. because they bring bad luck She calls me the black sheep of the family to those that they eye. because I look different from my brothers. |
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> I saw a fire burning Grandpa, is everything black bad? in the forest one day. It made the trees turn black and the animals run away.
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> I think witches are scary I like hitting baseballs flying their brooms in crooked hats. with my friends, Ronnie and Tye. They always look ugly and One day our ball hit Jasmine's face they always wear black. and she got a black eye.
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> Black widow spiders "Tell me Grandpa, is everything black are dangerous and quick. bad? I'm black. So, does that make me They have poison in their bites bad too?" that can make people sick. "Hmmm. I reckon I can understand the way you feel, Montsho. Grandpy never did stop to think about all the things in this world that are the color black that seem bad. Maybe that's why so many chil'en are ashamed of their beautiful dark skin. You younguns think all dark things must be no good." "So, it's true, huh, Grandpa? Everything black is bad," Montsho whispered sadly.
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> "Now, you wait jus' a minute little "You see, Montsho? It ain't the color man. You ain't bad and neither is the of someone's skin that makes them good color black. You jus' get that kinda or bad. It's what's inside their heart thinkin' out of your head. It's folks that counts. The more love you give who decide what colors mean to them. from your heart, the better you are as Why, I love the color black and think a person, no matter what people say or it's one of the most beautiful colors do. You understand?" in the world," Grandpa said firmly. Montsho nodded. "You do, Grandpa?" Montsho asked, "You also have something else inside surprised. you that is very important," "Yep! I do, little man. Almost as much "I do?" Montsho asked, curiously. as you love your Grandma's gumbo soup." "Yep, you do, little man. You have a Heritage; a very, very proud heritage." "Heritage?" Montsho wondered, wrinkling his face. What's heritage mean Grandpa?"
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> "A heritage is our past. It's where we "African!" Montsho said loudly. "I'm come from. It's the traditions and the not African. I don't live in Africa." things that are important to us and our family who lived long before us. "No, but our ancestors did live in Our heritage is African, Montsho." Africa a long time ago, and the spirit of Africa is within us no matter where we live. Africa is also where a lot of important things happened that helped people all over the world. Even today, you and I still have African blood in our bodies. That's why we look like the black Africans who still live there." "So, why does everyone call me black, then?" Why don't they call me African?" "Hmmm... I don't know, Montsho. Black folks have been called so many different names over time that maybe people aren't sure what we should be called anymore. Some folks say we should be called one thing and some say we should be called another. All Grandpy knows is that us grown-up folk got to be careful what we let our younguns be called. Especially if it makes them feel bad." "We also have to teach y'all about your heritage."
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> "What do you like people to call you "If someone calls you black, do you Grandpa?" feel bad, Grandpa?" "Why... that's simple, little man. "No, Montsho, I don't. You see, when I They can start by calling me was a youngun jus' like you, my by the name my mama gave me when I was grandfather taught me about our born... `Rufus.'" African heritage and our history. He gave me a special bamboo drum and as "I didn't know your name was Rufus," he played it, it told me stories from Montsho said tickled. our past. Those stories made me feel mighty proud of my African heritage "That's because to you I'm just plain and the dark color of my skin." ole `Grandpy.'" "Could you play the drum for me now Grandpa?" Montsho yelled excitedly. "Could you please?"
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> The old man looked into Montsho's big black eyes and smiled. He took Montsho by the hand into a special room in the back of the house. The room was beautiful, flowing with colors of black, gold, purple, red and green. Beautiful African scenes were painted on the walls and masks and pots were lying on the floor. It looked like an African kingdom with a straw hut inside. Within the hut was a large, red, bamboo drum. It looked magical. Montsho's Grandpa sat him on the floor and began to slowly beat the drum with his large, old hands. "Close your eyes, little man." Grandpa Boom, boom, boom... The drum began to whispered. "Feel the love you have in talk... your heart as I play. Listen and you will see pictures in your head as the Africa is beautiful and so are its drum tells you a story about our native people heritage and history." with their beautiful, dark black skin. Montsho closed his eyes and listened Her lands have great animals, like as his Grandpa beat the drum. After lions, giraffes and elephants. some time, the drum beat sounded like Africa is where our ancestor's lives voices to Montsho. Boom, boom, boom... begin.
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> Africa's land is naturally rich, Africans built the mighty pyramids with lots of diamonds and gold. and used some of the earliest tools. With deserts and rain forests They developed writing, mathematics, throughout her regions astronomy and religion. Africa is beautiful to behold. Even the Greeks came to study at their schools.
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> The Nile river, the longest in the Africans had writing the Greeks called world, "Hieroglyphics," was home to the earliest farms. which used pictures in place of words. There were Queens and Kings in African Africans were proud and made important lands. contributions Africans made medicines to keep people that have helped people all over the from harm. world. Africans made calendars a long time ago that today would still be right. They had clocks like the sun dial they used in the day and the water clock they used at night.
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> Be proud of your dark skin. The drum kept talking to Montsho. It represents a proud people and black is truly a beautiful color. Boom, boom, boom... It was passed down to you by Africans who lived before Be proud of your black skin and the and your heritage is like no other. love you have within and remember your heritage is African. Mostly, be proud of the love in your Be proud of your black skin and the heart love you have within and remember your and all you have within. heritage is African. It's the love that you share with people around you Be proud of your black skin and the that matters the most in the end. love you have within and remember your heritage is African. At last, the drum stopped beating. Montsho opened his eyes and gave his Grandpa a big, strong hug.
<--Turn The Page I'm Done Turn The Page--> "That was beautiful, Grandpa!" Montsho "Grandpa, can I ask you somethin' cried. "I saw pictures in my head. I else?" Montsho asked softly. saw Africa. Please, can we play the drum again? I want to know more about "What's that Montsho?" our past and our African heritage. I want to hear the drum talk again." "Do white people have a heritage?" Montsho's grandfather put his arm "Yes, they do little man...all people around the little boy and said gently, do." "That's enough for today, little man. Grandpy's old bones need to rest. "Then what's their heritage?" asked Besides, it is very important for you Montsho. to remember what you learned today." "Well, it depends on where they come "Don't worry Grandpa. I won't forget from in the world, little man. A lot what the drum said, ever!" Montsho of white people's ancestors in this said proudly. country came from Europe. So, their heritage is European." "Now, that's the kinda talkin' Grandpy likes to hear from his little man. "What's European, Grandpa?" Makes an old man like me feel real good." "That is a whole other story that Grandpa will have to tell you some other day. Don't you worry yourself none, though. We'll have plenty of time to learn about your African heritage and all the others in this world. Let's learn a little more about your own heritage first, and then it will be easier to learn about all the others."
<--Turn The Page I'm Done "Grandpa." "Yes, little man." "I love you! You always make me feel good." "I love you, too," Grandpa said, looking at the drum still in the middle of the room. "You just remember the dark color of your skin and your African heritage is a good thing, a very good thing indeed." THE END