NAT TURNER LESSONS IN YEAR 2012
181 YEARS AGO HE WAS UNDERGROUND
By H. Khalif Khalifah…Special to the Newport Newservice
Part One
OCTOBER 28, 2012
NAT TURNER LIBRARY, DREWRYVILLE, VA … 181 years ago Nat Turner organized a Black Liberation Army. The army marched and liberated much of the south side of Virginia. At this time during the revolt, General Turner was still underground. He was determined to reconstitute the B.L.A. The advancing army was forced into a retreat after a major, major battle at the Blunt Plantation near Buckhorn Quarters. [Buckhorn Quarters is a stop on the Nat Turner Trail, a tour of the Battle sites during the revolt].
Nat Turner was underground but hadn't given up on completing his plans, but on October 28, 1831 he only had two more days to complete the job. Three days later he was re-captured, brought to trial in a regular court, sentenced and put to death. But contrary to the wishes of his executioners, that was not the end of the story.
Less we forget, Nat Turner's plan was to Expropriate (the Revolutionary way to obtain Reparations) all the resources needed to Free every Black Man, Woman and Child in captivity in the United States of America. The Struggle continues because he was unable to extract enough Reparations. This is important because the most important Reparations needed was to free more chattel captive Africans. He did manage to free some 100 to 200 Black men and women & children. A number of both sexes joined with the B.L.A.
He didn't manage to Free enough fellow captives because many, as Heroine Harriet Tubman stated a few years later, I could have freed more but they didn't know they were slaves. Oppressors worked extremely hard then and today, to keep the captives/oppressed thinking they are in the best position they can be.
LEGACY AND HISTORY OF THE REVOLT
REPLETE WITH LESSONS FOR BLACK PEOPLE 181 YEARS LATER
Nat Turner and Harriet Tubman couldn't complete their liberation efforts because the liberation struggle of Black people proves to be a long, long protracted war.
First the race had to survive. This has been achieved because Black people have shown they will not let the lessons of past would-be-liberators be in vain. The Lessons of Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, and others are major reasons for our ability to survive the brutal attempt to steal our possessions. Today the oppressors are using our own possessions keep us subjected to the same Criminal Nation: An experiment in White Supremacy called the United States of America.
Many appear to forget, or never accepted the fact that Reparations is about getting back everything, or its equivalent, that was stolen from us, as a people. There will be no freedom, justice and equality unless we get back our possessions. Dr. Imari I. Obadele insured that the Coalition he organized to get our possessions back legally, was determined that a clear definition would be made to state to us all what Reparations is, and is not.
The coalition he formed is called The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America. The definition for Reparations is:
"Reparations is the payment of money and other valuables to a nation, or distinct community of people. Reparations are paid by the Criminal government that stole their possessions and hurt them in the commission of a crime.
"The payment of reparations is part of the process to make them whole again. It is necessary because in the commission of the crime, the perpetrator caused injuries: Reparations are the beginning of the healing process, it is to make amends, to make the nation whole again."
LESSONS EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS UNDERSTAND
Workers That Serve Specific Community needs are called Community Organizers. When I was there, we were called Community Activists. Until the election of Barack Obama, Nat Turner was the best known Community Organizer in history. He, as we all, work to organize the people to use the Power unity generates. The Community Organizer then use the power to apply to specific needs of the people. This is one lesson that you understand early in community work. But the essential lesson you understand later in oppression is the most important.
The essential thing that Community Organizers learn sooner or later is that regardless to how much we give up to serve; or however effective we are in organizing the masses to defeat specific targeting by the oppressors, the results will NOT free them from the clutches of oppression. More is needed.
The more needed is a stronger power. So a decision is made to use the Wisdom we derived from our understanding to do things to generate that power. Nat Turner organized an army. Barack Obama went into politics. This writer went into the communications business….
END PART ONE
H. KHALIF KHALIFAH is a Reparations Advocate; he lives on a farm in Southampton County, Virginia. He is a Publishing Consultant and Senior Tour Guide for The Nat Turner Trail. And can be contacted at 434-378-2140 or khalifah23844@yahoo.com or Face Book & Twitter.
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GIVE YOUR ASSESSMENTS OF WHERE BLACK PEOPLE ARE, AS A RACE: At an "open mic" during the festivities to commemorate the last Earth Day (November 10, 1831) of Nat Turner. The Commemoration will be at the Nat Turner Library and Campus, November 10, 2012. Festivities will include: A Nat Turner Trail Tour, Good Vegetarian & Vegan Food, Good Music, Good Company (Smart Black singles and couples), Tour the TKKVV: All Assessments/statement will be duly recorded and become part of the archives of The Nat Turner Library: Call 434-378-2140 or 434-378-5536 for more info: go to ww.black-e-books.com to donate go to paypal: khalifah@khabooks.com
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