"That's Me" and Other Things I Learned During My Relationship With Soul Train Every Saturday

Shock and profound sadness are the best two words to describe my immediate reaction to the news that entertainment legend, Don Cornelius had passed away. Perhaps there is no one who did more to introduce and promote black musicians to Americans than Mr. Cornelius. His legacy is solid and we'll be talking about his contributions for years to come.

After the sadness sunk in, the memories came rushing back. As a child of the 70's - Soul Train was a staple in our house. Before MTV (yes, MTV did play lots of Michael Jackson, Prince and other choice black acts in the early 80s)  or BET, Soul Train was a doorway into black music and culture.

"That's me!"

Sounds weird but you could hear me and my sister screaming that at the television as we watched. Throughout the hour long broadcast, beautiful black woman after beautiful black woman was flashed across the small screen in living color for all to see.  We'd "compete" to see which one of us could claim a woman "to be" for that episode. We'd follow "ourselves" the whole episode and just scream every time "we" were shown on screen.

The fashion.

The fros.

Every shade of brown, black and sometime beige skin.

The dancing.

Women who looked like me were on display. In a positive way. Every week.

I wanted to be a Soul Train dancer.

I wanted to be a Soul Train featured artist.

Watching Soul Train helped me discover my love of music and my ability to sing. Where else could I sing along to Donna Summer, Natalie Cole or Stephanie Mills? Hitting every note with Deniece Williams gave me the confidence to actually go sing her hit song "Free" in front of people and knock their socks off in the Variety Show my sophomore year of high school.

I was convinced that Don Cornelius would one day introduce me to the world. Alas, that never happened.

However, he did give me years of smiles and cultivated pride in being a black girl in America in the 1970s. I am certain my love of spontaneous dance parties with blasting dance music was inspired by the Saturday morning rush I felt throughout my childhood. And who else would start the Soul Train line at all my melanin challenged friend's parties and weddings?

Don Cornelius gave me the feeling that it was more than ok to be me but it was GOOD to me. How fitting that we start Black History Month reminiscing about Don Cornelius and Soul Train.

I am forever grateful for Soul Train and sometimes still feel tempted to shout at my TV, "That's Me! or wish folks upon my departure, Peace, Love and Soouuuuuuuuuuuulllllllllllllllll.

Reconcile Black History to World History & We Can Do Away With The Month!

Black History is all our history as this drawing depicts

The last few years, I've heard, seen and participated in the debate - "Is Black History Month Still Relevant? I've seen the Morgan Freeman clip with Mike Wallace from 60 Minutes a few years back where he says that and I quote "I don't want Black History Month" Many people have used this as the 'smoking gun' for why BHM is no longer relevant. And if you haven't seen it - you should and be sure and read some of the comments below it.

While I love Morgan Freeman, the actor, and I really respect his opinion on the subject - especially the line about not wanting his "history relegated to one month of the year"- I believe Black History Month is needed until we fundamentally reconcile Black History to American History. or World History for that matter. Same can be said for Hispanic History Month that spans Sept and October.

I am fascinated at the thought of revamping all history books to include a full account of all the contributions of all people to the world we know today. It would be an expensive task but worth every cent. And can you imagine the impact?

Actually acknowledging the colonization of African empires in Africa by Europen nations and connecting that to the modern day Africa and it's challenges. It would make it a lot less easy to turn our collective heads and wish "they'd get it together" on that continent.

Reconciling our relationship with our collective past as a whole is the only way to ensure we can forge into the future with a unified hope to keep the world progressing forward in a peaceful manner.

We celebrate Black History Month and Hispanic History Month every month in our house and do our best to spread that into our community. But until we see that done, by everyone - we will continue to "turn up the volume" every February.

Morgan Freeman 60 Minutes Clip - check it out!

Real Life Black History in the Making.

Last Sunday Feb 7, I accepted an invitation to speak at St. James AME in Elgin to kick-off their Black History Month Celebration with a message on Community Advocacy. If I'm honest, it was a casual acceptance based on the fact that I sat next to Dr. Laveta Small at a community leader focus group back in December at Elgin Community College.

We were kindred spirits that night - practically finishing each other's sentences towards the end of the forum, even though we were a generation apart. We connected and vowed to keep in touch but as usual - life gets in the way and almost 7 weeks passed by before we would speak again. Of course, I would speak for Dr. Small. Not a question.

As part of the BHM celebrations - the church was honoring their seniors and hosting a guest speaker each week. I prepared a thoughtful 15 minute talk about how I approach Community Advocacy through my political career as an elected official. I did some online recognizance on the church and was impressed with its 129 year history in Elgin.

Nothing, however, prepared me for the experience I encountered upon entering the church that morning.

Upon entering this tiny church on the east side of Elgin, almost to Rt. 59, I was immediately overwhelmed by the warmth and wisdom of the people inside. The display in the lobby was a basic archive of Black History for our country and for the Elgin area. Then I saw the program for the day and realized - that I was THE speaker, the sermon, the MESSAGE. Before that moment, I was thinking I was just a speaker for the day and not necessarily delivering the message in place of the pastor - Reverend Francis Senyah, who I also met briefly at the ECC event. This terrified me. The sense of responsibility almost swallowed me up right there. Then, I glanced down at my prepared words... a calm overcame me. Instantly.

You see, I was speaking about how I use the lens of Micah 6:8 in all my political dealings. Paraphrased the best way to remember Micah 6:8 is this...

Act Justly, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly.

As I sat and listened to them talk about the heroes and s'heroes of their church - some of whom had been members for over 70 years. I was so humbled. Then Dr. Small introduced me and it really hit me. In my corner of the world, I am Black History in the making. I don't say that with any airs - I say it because it's true.

Right now, the movement that I am leading in our country (perhaps the world) on relational wellness and relational health will change the lives of many. As I spoke to this audience and literally declared to them that they will see me and this cause in the national health care debate really soon - it was as clear that what I am doing is so much bigger than me. By putting the word out there in the small church in Elgin - I started the public discourse on my desire, to enable all people to pro-actively care for the relationships in their lives.

At the end of the service as I shook hands with every person in attendance that day, I felt an enormous transfer of wisdom and leadership from these stalwarts of the community. Many of these people were pioneers in the Northwest Suburbs and members of families that were among the first blacks to settle in this area. Each one looked me in the eye and encouraged me in my movement. Every ounce of the strength and courage from the battles won before were transferred to me for the battle ahead.

While each person told me about how much I touched them - I was without words for what they had done for me. Even 10 days later, I have trouble pinpointing all the positive ways that experience at St. James AME has changed me.

Dr. Small said something the night we were at ECC to the effect that "we were not trying to make history then (upon describing her experience as the only black child in her elementary school in Elgin in the 1950s), we were just doing what we knew was right."

I know exactly what she means.