Bridge over Troubled American Waters: Based on Race Division in America

By Eathon Gums

Bridge Over Troubled American Waters
(Based On Race Divisions in America)

African - Americans have advanced individually but as a unit, we have utterly failed. Our doctrine should be not to harvest one person or outside race with leadership.
It is said that it is impossible for African - Americans to come together as "one" because of our mixed breeding with other races which has left us without a race identity.
There are many people who are not enjoying the pinnacles of success in America. They have been heard to say that America does not practice what it preaches pertaining to articles found in the constitution denoting to the rights of all Americans.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 9, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477104880

Eathon Gums

Eathon Gums was born May 11, 1927 in Port Barrett, Louisiana. His parents were Ruby and Ezickel Gums. He attended Douglas Elementary, Jack Yates High School, and Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. He majored in Music. Eathon served in the United States Navy. In 1952, he married Faye Evelyn Yarbrough. Four children were born to this union: Pamela, Wendell, Cynthia, and Beverly Gums. He was a professional musician playing the saxophone.

Book preview

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED

AMERICAN WATERS

(Based on Race Division in America)

EATHON GUMS

Eathon Gums is the author of this book. He died before he could publish it. I am his daughter, Pamela Gums Bookman.

Copyright © 2012 by Eathon Gums.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2012907693

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4771-0487-3

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4771-0486-6

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4771-0488-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

112328

For Dee, who gave me the inspiration.

For Betty, who made it possible.

For Pamela, Wendell, Cynthia, and Beverly, who gave it meaning

For Gloria, who thought she was forgotten.

For Annie, who was patient.

CONTENTS

Preface

Unification

Garden Of Eden

Roots Of African Slavery

Immigrants

The First Black Newspaper

Capt. John Smith, Africa, And The New World

The Plantation

Psycho-Suppressive Traits (Dna)

The Roots Of Jim Crow

Our Ancestors

Finesse

Rags To Riches

Bourgeoisie

Ebon Venus

Our Black Woman

Boys, Girls, And Academic Conditions In American Schools

Drugs And Dreams

Labor

Politics And The Black Man

The Law

To Invest

Our Leader The Minister

Christians And The Church

The Mission

To Commemorate

PREFACE

THIS BOOK IS about a divided situation in North America, where after hundreds of years of suppression in the country, whose constitution states in writing that all of its citizens are equal in rights under the law, yet we see Afro-Americans fighting daily throughout the judiciary systems of America, still seeking equality.

This book also contains a historical account of facts pertaining to moral values between the early African man and his brothers; moral values between the black Native American man and his brothers, the Europeans, and Anglo-American world.

Throughout my research on this subject matter, I found that these facts were barren and without love. They did not promote unity, and with the passing of ancient years unto our present time, they did lead to the division of Africans in Africa, and eventually, to the division of black Native Americans in North America. Today, these same facts, through education, provides a solution in the discontinuity of this matter for us blacks who are bogged down in disintegrating unity that keeps destroying our integrity. It gives us blacks a chance to think, to understand, to curb, or to use restraint in helping to bring this mystery to an end.

I dedicate this book to a new trend in trying to help bring about unity between Afro-Americans, ethnics, Europeans, and Anglo-Americans. I am appealing to all Americans about the values from generating an understanding for each other’s race. The time has or will come when all Americans will suffer gravely without unity as a whole. There will be much hard work that will have to be done by each and every one on the road to integration such as organizing a unitary spirit nationwide, where new ideas and methods can be developed in encouraging the young and the old in the significance of voting and getting an education while at the same time developing a sincerity with respect for each other. It is time that we, as Americans, put a stop to negative racial frustration of young white and black women’s and men’s minds. It is our duty as Americans to try and to help them on their way to success in life, where they can take their places in society not on an individual bias basis , but as another Abraham Lincoln, Booker T. Washington, Lyndon B. Johnson, Thurgood Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Martin Luther King Jr., or the many white and black women and men who helped to free thousands of southern black slaves from slavery and united them with their northern (free) black brothers through the slave underground that they established. Their lives were constantly in danger. These were brave freedom-loving Americans, who, while enjoying success in their fields of work, took time to lend a helping hand to a downtrodden people, who were doomed to a bottomless pit of obscurity to a deserving place in American society, where they could obtain the fruits of education and go on to prosperity. There is great hope that enactments like that from the past united with those of the present will soon enable Afro-Americans to join Anglos and ethnic races of people in helping to mold this country into a haven of justice for all Americans.

A great writer once wrote that no man is an island, but I say to all Americans, and let it be written for all times, that a black man can become a mountain and do that which is good for all people and his race in this country with due rights accountable at hand, and with this American privilege in view, bestowed upon us by the American people, black women and men by the thousands will have to take up their crosses (burden) to help guide their people with love into the future, for soon, a new day will dawn upon the horizon for struggling and ambitious young blacks who must work in unity for freedom through litigations toward this goal. To this formation, we welcome Anglos and all ethnic Americans in unity and peace. This new interracial bond of friendship with new ideas and theories in teaching and learning will be pleasing to the welfare of all Americans. This could be the beginning to an end or death knell of racism in this country. I am urging Afro- and Anglo-American politicians of status to work more and more together in destroying both sides of this black and white race individualism and start giving more understanding to both races’ cultures for the betterment of this country. Continued teachings of ill will against each other in this promised land will bring the full wrath of our God down upon us and this country. Without the blessings of our God, America can vanish as being a wonderful and powerful nation. As of now, I am sure that everyone has noticed that this country is showing signs of a Babylon plague that is killing thousands of people, all because of the world’s and this country’s hypocritical doctrine against the poor and their pursuit of the American dream.

This book also traces the struggles and cultures of the blacks in Africa and on the plantations in the New World. It traces their movements in and beyond the Civil War. It tells of the division between and bond that binds the Anglos and black Native Americans. It traces the movements and advancements of blacks from the ninth to the nineteenth century unto our present time. White and black freedom fighters have come a long way in fighting for the rights of all Americans, and until Afro-Americans are granted rights that are guaranteed to all Americans, we will continue to fight for freedom as a unit, until the people who govern America give up those rights that Afro-Americans so deservingly want and need. These rights are guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America. Blacks must be made aware that there are Anglo- and Afro-Americans living among us today whose ways and livelihoods are similar to the Pharisees of old. They lean to the old ways of life and religions that are cornerstones of individualism. Most of these people are prosperous, but missionary work in their lives are nowhere to be seen. God made them successful and created those mountains upon which they now sit. We must also not forget that there are Anglo- and Afro-Americans who have amassed great wealth and walk in the light of righteousness. They inherited rights to treasures of many fashions beyond compare. They realized through the teachings and good graces of our God that it is a sin to hoard up too much treasures for one’s self when there are so many people in dire need of medical hospitals where they can receive care, universities for education, grants for many humanitarian projects including scholarships for education and also support for the United Negro College Fund. People, who have experienced giving to those who could never attain this level of care or education, receive the joy of giving which is worth more in the presence of our God than earthly things. We must remember that when our lives on earth are over, we cannot take earthly things with us. Invest in your fellow countryman, for this is God’s will.

Many Anglo- and European Americans and all other ethnic groups of people coming to this country within a short stay of time and with the blessings of the government practiced prejudicial acts against Afro-Americans, all because of this country’s doctrine against blacks. To them, it seems like the natural thing to do. This emphasis on the destruction of the black man, so they say, is because of the color of his skin. I believe it is because of the progress that he has made under severe suppression. Acts, such as this, keeps the constitution of this country on guard, trying to protect all the rights guaranteed to all Americans. This act of jealousy and greed produces this situation and keeps this country divided.

In Uganda, Africa, one of the tribal chiefs is white. The color of his skin in that country is not a barrier.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that someday Anglo- and Afro-Americans would come together more and more as brothers and sisters, not only in Alabama, but throughout these United States of America. He was slain before his dream could come true. I realized that through my writing I could help bring about the unity of the black race into perspective. I also realized that before us blacks can do anything as a unit, I had to do research on our divided situation so that I could find facts and write about this mystery, and with my findings on this matter, I am sure that us blacks can bring this mystery to an end. Finally, I set out on my journey to seek out my many brothers hoping that somewhere along the way, this mystery would be resolved, but with all my efforts, it was all for naught. All the multiple answers that I received from my many brothers were negative, ludicrous, baffling, and began and ended with the plantations as our downfall, but I was not satisfied with those answers. I was sure that further research would reveal more on this subject matter. My black brothers were serious with their many varied answers, but neither one seriously realized the complexity of our divided situation. I found out that enlightenment is found among my people pertaining to a state of being in race unity, as compared with other races in this country, I must confess that we are lacking in the fundamentals of togetherness as a whole. Through education, we will come together.

After months of gathering data about Afro-American unitive race deficiency, and with ample time at my disposal, yet never dreaming that someday I would enter the field of penmanship, I began the task of writing this book, which many people view as a lost cause in trying to explain in writing this mystery of division among my people and the Anglo world: the reason, the time, its origin, and why it has lasted so long. I marvel at the time that I spent in book stores and libraries researching this subject matter of why love and understanding for my brothers and I are kept in the dark. I found myself surrounded with more puzzlement as to why more black scholars, educators, and writers have not stepped forward and written more publication on our descent instead of avoiding and treating it as if it was a plague.

The world’s greatest authors, past and present, have written many books based upon the facts of life, fiction, adventure, and love. One advantage that they had on me was that they knew the beginning and ending of each novel that they wrote. I know only the beginning of this book. The ending is in God’s hand and will only come when blacks stand hand in hand on issues that are good for the entire Afro-American people and be counted as one.

UNIFICATION

Unity is a product that is not handed to a race of people on a silver platter. It is created by a people united in the realization of doing chores that is of value to a people who is concerned in forging ahead on all political, social, and civic matters in order to sustain a certain state of being in a given society.

AN ACCOUNT OF this was displayed on December 1, 1955, when a great chapter in the history of Afro-Americans in unity materialized when Rosa Parks refused to give up her front seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in order that she be made to move to the back of the bus. Her refusal and with the help of the Supreme Court of the United States of America sustaining the rights of all Americans, regardless of race or color, Afro-Americans gained a great victory. Her cry for freedom was first heard and recognized by the Southern Christian Leaders Conference. They vowed that the time has come when Anglo- and Afro-Americans in Alabama would have to take a stand for freedom for all. Mrs. Parks’s love of being an American, whose rights had been violated, prompted Afro- and Anglo-Americans to come together in a common cause as a unit which promoted united black and white power. An angry lion was let loose in the streets.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a wonderful man whose works in the civil rights movement overshadowed what Mrs. Parks had done, but we must remember and not forget that it was she who pointed the way. It only takes a spark to start a forest fire, but it takes a powerful force to keep it burning.

In my writing, I hope not to start a chain reaction of discontentment for no one particular person or race of people, but to enlighten my people of my research through my writing pertaining to our present and past troubles of woe. Also at times, I will be cynical of certain Anglo-Americans who promote racial injustices toward my people. I must also emphasize that without the help of many Anglo-Americans, Afro-Americans’ advancements in these United States of America would not be as advance as it is today. Their heroic physical stand alone with blacks in Alabama against tyrannical oppression, which was used against them in their fight for the freedom of all men, even as they marched all the way to Washington, was evident in the media each and every day. It was a sight of great wonder to see black and white Americans march and fight side by side for a common cause. To us blacks, I use the word advance because we have this as individuals but not as a unit. We are utterly a failure. We have been walking down different paths trying to solve the same problems that confront all blacks. We must learn to walk together all over America, building bridges over troubled Afro-American waters. Why, because we are our brothers’ keepers.

I write to show what paths and directions we have been traveling and what paths and directions we should at all times be traveling. I will also write repetitiously, as if striking a spike constantly into a log for splitting results, because I will be hammering at the truth that has been hidden for hundreds of years from my brothers and me. I hope that most blacks who will read what I have written will digest and pass this revelation throughout our present time and on into the future. I hope to instill in my brothers to think positive thoughts whenever we think or speak of our people. We are a wonderful people when we get to know one another. I also hope to instill or create a thought facsimile of John the Baptist crying in the wilderness, telling of good things to come for us blacks, because there really are many good things in store for us but only as a unit. If we make haste and plant the seeds of togetherness, we shall harvest many united black bumper crops now and into the future.

In conjunction to what I have written, I must write about a story that I have been contemplating on. It is a story about Jesus Christ when he healed the blind man, who had spent his entire life in darkness. After Jesus preformed this miraculous feat, the blind man stood up with tears running down his cheeks. He began to sing, dance, and shout. I was blind but now I see. You can just imagine the reaction my people will have within our race when they finally see the light. The light is the truth. It will cleanse our minds and bring us together on the road to unity which will cause us blacks to pursue many more goals on the road to the American dream. I know that God wants us to come together, or I would not have received the inspiration from him to write this book. I know that there will be hard times ahead in trying to convince people who are set in their ways against one another to change and to do all they can to enhance all the love that they can give to their race. This, we must do. Another reason that I discovered through research of our short comings is that we always depend upon one person as our leader, and when something tragic happens to him, our crusade comes to a complete halt. It is time that we stop and think. Have we not learned something from this? Sometimes, it is not a good idea to put all of one’s