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Black Pride and Unity

The essay, “The Negro Digs Up His Past”, was among the works of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, in which he provided his views regarding the Negros’ history. The essay was written in the year 1925 to disapprove the claim that the black people have no history, and it is through this claim that the author bases his arguments to show the significance of recording the collective achievements by the Africans. Black pride and unity is, therefore, the primary theme that can be traced from the essay as the author puts forth various claims to which make it evident that the Africans do have a history and to which they are entitled to fight for to regain their identity.

Schomburg states at the beginning of his essay that “The American Negro must remark his past in order to make his future” (Schomburg, 670). Based on the above statement, the author emphasizes the importance of the African American to trace their origin and history so that they can mark their future. A generation or race that does not document their history has no chances of being proud in future as they are not bound to any culture of their own but rather depend on assimilation by other major cultures. The statement is a clear depiction that the American Negro should not only trace back and document their past, but also be proud of their culture as a common source of their identity and heritage.

Schomburg further urges the African Americans not to be comfortable for being in the American soil, a country that people doesn’t bother about their past, the Negros should not be in comfort like the other races in the American nation as it should be of prime necessity for the American Negro to trace their past. Schomburg states that “Though it is orthodox to think of America as the one country where it is unnecessary to have a past, what is a luxury for the nation as a whole becomes a prime social necessity for the Negro.” (Schomburg, 670). From the statement above, the author says that Negros have to dig deeper into their history for their affirmation from the continued oppression and discrimination. The Negros should not be comfortable and let other people define them and judge them the wrong way, they should not see it as a luxury lining in a foreign land but should find it more comfortable to trace their deep culture that marks their history to avoid being oppressed for lack of a past. The process of discovering the past is not an individual journey, but a collective process that calls for the union of all the Negros and this is an excellent affirmation of the black unity and pride.

Schomburg uses the works of other individuals to portray the significance of back pride. For example, Jupiter Hammon’s work of 1787, addressed to the Negros residing in New York State, emphasizing the need for black pride and identity, “If we should ever get to Heaven, we shall find nobody to reproach us for being back, or for being slaves” (Schomburg, 671). From the above statement, the author tries to sensitize the people of black origin that there is no one to blame for being black and that there will be nobody to question why they are slaves facing oppression and discrimination. It is through this that he wants the Negros to be proud of their identity for being black and fight against their oppression citing that there will be no one to be questioned or responsible for their mistreatments. For this, they should, therefore, take action and liberate themselves from the hands of the oppressor and as well accept their identity as being black.

In a way to demonstrate unity and pride among the people of color, Schomburg uses the case of the campaign against and the abolition of the slave trade. He states that “Just as black men were influential factors in the campaign against the slave trade, so they were among the earliest instigators of the abolition movement” (Schomburg, 671). Here the author shows that the Negros also have a past especially in fighting against the slave trade and played a vital role to its abolition as well as the setting of a free nation where the slaves could be settled.

In conclusion, Schomburg has illustrated through various incidences that the Negros need not complain about their color but be proud as they have a rich culture that is distinct from the rest. He further states that the Negros should not be in comfort when they are oppressed and that they should stand up in unity, just like during the fight against the slave trade and fight against their oppression. Schomburg argues through other works that the Negros will have no one to blame for their mistreatments, discrimination and oppression, neither for being black and therefore should stand firm and fight for their identity, in their realization of black pride and unity.

Work Cited

Schomburg, Arthur A. “The Negro digs up his past.” The New Negro 1975 (1925).