The Overcome A Black Passover

By Peter W. D. Bramble Ph.D.

“The Overcome”, a liturgy of black remembrance modeled on the Jewish Passover. The awesome history of the passage since capture in Africa invites comparison with the Hebrew exodus and even the Holocaust. Instead of recoiling from the hypercharged distinctions on both sides, scholars might do well to follow the lead of Father Bramble and of Julius Lester...”
Twenty-one years have now passed since the Civil Rights Movement was consummated in the death (sacrifice) of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was concerned about this question: "Where do we go from here?" He addressed that issue in economic and political terms in 1967. This book is also concerned about that very question. Where do we go from here? But its answer is different, in the first instant.
I believe that the first move out of the "crossroads" or dilemma that is suggested by this question about direction must be essentially conceptual. For there is no lack of programs, activities or even money in the black communities of America. We have enough of those. The lack resides elsewhere and the solution, as this book will indicate, is rather simple. But, it does not reside in programs, economics or things material. It is a "conceptual" solution that is needed and that will be offered in this book.
This book is not written to become one among many others that treat black problems, but it is written with the intent that it will serve to change the character and stature of blacks the world over. It seeks to change character, not by changing the name blacks are called or call each other one more time, but by simply adding to the repertoire of black thinking certain essential concepts that are missing—concepts about triumph, winning—the Overcome.
Some would immediately think that this book is simply playing with words. Wrong. One cannot think without concepts. Concepts are more than words alone. They carry descriptions, prescriptions, imperatives, conditions, etc. with them, whether spoken or not.
For example, to tell someone you love that the "roads outside are icy" gives more than a simple description. There is a silent imperative, a command if you will, to be careful in walking or driving. And anyone who understands the true meaning of icy roads would immediately pick up the hidden imperative. In like manner, when through this book I declare the Overcome for blacks worldwide, I am not simply changing the lyrics of a good and popular hymn or song: "We Shall Overcome."

After we establish the Overcome, a black Passover, the character of the black man and woman will change forever. They will now be known as men and women who overcome whatever is negative in their lives or community. The Overcome then becomes a character trait. It is not about money (in the first instance. it will be consequently), but about black propensities, predispositions, tendencies, habits and character. All the missing victory sub-concepts relevant to the black man must now be plugged into the matrix of the super-concept of the Overcome.

The black preacher and other leading change agents will need to offer saving content to the black Overcome, ideas that are already present in the community, but which cannot take root until they are incorporated in the shared value of the society. The Overcome will "collect and hold." will interpret and pass on the successes, winnings, triumphs, victories, large and small of the community. The Overcome, which must be celebrated yearly, on April 4 (around Passover and Easter on the day our primary martyr was sacrificed), will guarantee that as other more creative minds get to work on this redeeming concept of the Overcome.

The black Overcome like the Jewish Passover marks the beginning (not the end) of a victorious walk into the future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Feb 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9781663245410

Peter W. D. Bramble Ph.D.

The Reverend Canon Peter W. D. Bramble is a retired black Episcopal priest now residing in Maryland. He served as Rector of St Katherine of Alexandria Episcopal Church in Baltimore from 1976 to 1997 and as Rector and Pastor of St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, New York from 1997 to 2015. St Mark’s was at the time the largest black Episcopal congregation in the United States. Bramble is a graduate of Codrington College, Barbados, the Yale Divinity School and the University of Connecticut from where he received a Ph.D. degree in the Philosophy of Education in 1976. Father Bramble was one of the principals who initiated uniforms in the Public Schools of Baltimore. The project was highlighted in many major news media including TIME, NEWSWEEK, and various national TV programs. Known by some as the ‘done deal man’ and labelled by The Baltimore Sun as “The Entrepreneurial Priest,” Bramble developed high rise apartments for the elderly at Baltimore’s PennNorth Plaza and in East New York, Brooklyn. He also acquired the largest Day Care Center in Baltimore, established the BATGO program to re-direct troubled youth away from the Criminal Justice System by providing them Housing, educational opportunities and job apprenticeships. That program was established over 25 years ago and still serves young people in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1986, Canon Bramble with his wife Joy started THE BALTIMORE TIMES NEWSPAPER featuring “positive stories about positive people.” This was developed to balance out the negative vibes fed to blacks in multiple forms: they lived pathology, heard about it on radio, saw it on Television and read it in the local papers. There being no media for conveying positive stories, the Baltimore times was established and was so well received that the company went on to publish similar TIMES papers in Annapolis, Baltimore County, Prince George’s County and the Shore Times on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Today, only The Baltimore Times and The Annapolis Times are published. Dr. Bramble in the late 1980’s and early 1990s Published his first book: THE OVERCOME: A BLACK PASSOVER. In the book he argues for the introduction of major victory concepts into black life, something he believes must occur before blacks can overcome their various pathologies. He believes that victory concepts must be present in the thinking, hoping, talking and doing of blacks in order to enable blacks to become OVERCOMERS of the negativities that plague their story telling and their living. Father Bramble later developed THE OVERCOME RITE with re-enforcing songs by people who heard Dr. Bramble speak. It is through that rite that he seeks to install THE OVERCOME as the collective victory that blacks can celebrate together. He dares to claim that the Civil Rights Movement, crowned by the death and consequent elevation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., must be seen as that which holds the collective victories that must be re-interpreted in positive ways and celebrated much as the Jewish people celebrate their Passover. He also thinks April 4, the day on which Martin Luther King Jr. was sacrificed for his people should become OVERCOME DAY! In 1989, The Baltimore Black Academy of Arts and Letters named Father Bramble the “Living Legend in Religion.”

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THE OVERCOME A BLACK PASSOVER

Copyright © 2023 Peter W. D. Bramble, Ph.D.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Drawing by James Earl Reid, Sculptor

ISBN: 978-1-6632-4540-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-4542-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-4541-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023902200

iUniverse rev. date:    10/04/2023

DEDICATION/ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work is dedicated to the many people who made it possible. To my wife Joy, and our children, Cara and David, who allowed me to write while abdicating household chores. To my mother, Margaret, who taught me, without knowing it, the real meaning of The Overcome.

To Baltimore’s Saint Katherine of Alexandria Episcopal Church in Baltimore and its members who suffered 30 years ago through the development of the concepts with countless sermons on the issue and who often misunderstood the content and its very intent. Many thought it was an appeal to material overcoming. Some still cannot understand that the only overcoming that has value is conceptual and spiritual. It takes one over when all else is withdrawn.

Very special thanks go to my teacher and mentor, Professor Paul L. Holmer of Yale Divinity School.

He taught me how concepts function within a language. The convincing analogy about icy roads communicating more than a description and carrying heavy imperatives came off his lips and rested on my mind so that, in turn, I could make the move from the introduction of The Overcome concept to the imperative to lead lives in The Overcome mood. Professor Holmer influenced me greatly, and I truly thank him as I dedicate this book to him!

I also thank Paul F. Evans, of Baltimore, my friend and the publisher of the 1989 first edition of this book, for his help throughout every stage of the previous edition of this project and for his help in the second edition. I also thank Charles Lowder, the graphic designer, for his continuing assistance and in preparing this edition for further editorial work toward subsequent publication by iUniverse of Bloomington Indiana.

EPIGRAPH

We have overcome.

We have overcome.

We have overcome today.

Oh! Oh!

Deep in our hearts, we know for sure.

We have overcome today.

ABOUT PETER W. D. BRAMBLE

The Reverend Canon Peter W. D. Bramble is a retired black Episcopal priest now residing in Maryland. He served as Rector of St Katherine of Alexandria Episcopal Church in Baltimore from 1976 to 1997 and as Rector and Pastor of St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, New York from 1997 to 2015. St Mark’s was at the time the largest black Episcopal congregation in the United States.

Bramble is a graduate of Codrington College, Barbados, the Yale Divinity School and the University of Connecticut from where he received a Ph.D. degree in the Philosophy of Education in 1976. Father Bramble was one of the principals who initiated uniforms in the Public Schools of Baltimore. The project was highlighted in many major news media including TIME, NEWSWEEK, and various national TV programs.

Known by some as the ‘done deal man’ and labelled by The Baltimore Sun as The Entrepreneurial Priest, Bramble developed high rise apartments for the elderly at Baltimore’s PennNorth Plaza and in East New York, Brooklyn. He also acquired the largest Day Care Center in Baltimore, established the BATGO program to re-direct troubled youth away from the Criminal Justice System by providing them Housing, educational opportunities and job apprenticeships. That program was established over 25 years ago and still serves young people in Baltimore, Maryland.

In 1986, Canon Bramble with his wife Joy started THE BALTIMORE TIMES NEWSPAPER featuring positive stories about positive people. This was developed to balance out the negative vibes fed to blacks in multiple forms: they lived pathology, heard about it on radio, saw it on Television and read it in the local papers. There being no media for conveying, positive stories, The Baltimore Times was established and was so well received that the company went on to publish similar TIMES papers in Annapolis, Baltimore County, Prince George’s County and the Shore Times on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Today, only The Baltimore Times and The Annapolis Times are published.

Dr. Bramble in the late 1980’s and early 1990s Published his first book: THE OVERCOME: A BLACK PASSOVER. In the book he argues for the introduction of major victory concepts into black life, something he believes must occur before blacks can overcome their various pathologies. He believes that victory concepts must be present in the thinking, hoping, talking and doing of blacks in order to enable blacks to become OVERCOMERS of the negativities that plague their story telling and their living.

Father Bramble later developed THE OVERCOME RITE with re-enforcing songs by people who heard Dr. Bramble speak. It is through that rite that he seeks to install THE OVERCOME as the collective victory that blacks can celebrate together. He dares to claim that the Civil Rights Movement, crowned by the death and consequent elevation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., must be seen as that which holds the collective victories that must be re-interpreted in positive ways and celebrated much as the Jewish people celebrate their Passover. He also thinks April 4, the day on which Martin Luther King Jr. was sacrificed for his people should become OVERCOME DAY!

In 1989, The Baltimore Black Academy of Arts and Letters named Father Bramble the Living Legend in Religion.

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

What others are saying about The Overcome

Chapter 1 The Need for a Black Overcome/Passover

Chapter 2 Black Liberation Thinking: What It Does

Chapter 3 Claim the Ghetto and Build Life-Saving Institutions

Chapter 4 Black Liberation: More Than Consciousness Raising

Chapter 5 Dr. King’s Death and Elevation: The Symbol of the Overcome

Chapter 6 The Overcome Unites All Blacks: Christians, Muslims, and Rastafarians

Chapter 7 Concept Analysis: Key to Black Liberation Thinking

Chapter 8 Liberation is a Capacity Concept

Chapter 9 Language, Form of Life, and Black Conventions

Chapter 10 Some Concluding Remarks

Appendices

PREFACE

W hy reissue a book thirty years after its original publica tion?

Thirty years ago, the spirit of the times elevated the Civil Rights Movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who taught us that going forward, all people should be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. That was perceived to be the closing argument of the Civil Rights Movement. No one at that time conceived that in thirty years the mantra: to judge people by the content of their character rather than by the color of their skin would be cancelled with the introduction of a new doctrine being propagated known as Critical Race Theory (CRT), which claims the very opposite of what the icon of the Civil Rights Movement lived, taught, and died to establish.

The Overcome: A Black Passover was written to install into the thinking of blacks the fact that what they had fought for through the struggles of their foreparents had now been accomplished. All that was needed now was a new logic, a new way to interpret the fights (struggles) in such a way as to claim victory. CRT does the opposite. It directly cancels Dr. King’s message and in effect claims that there has been no progress over the years. Nothing has been achieved after all these years of struggle and fighting for equality because CRT claims that blacks effectively are, because of their black skin which is an immutable characteristic, forever locked into an inferior status when compared to whites whom they claim have special white privileges. CRT locks blacks into a permanent state of victimhood.

The attempt to crystalize into history the interpretation of the black experience in such a way as to make blacks eternal undercomers or victims, despite the great achievements of blacks over the years, cannot be allowed to stand. A new way of interpreting what came out of centuries of black struggles must be presented. No sensible race has ever interpreted their lives and struggles in such a way as to make them eternal losers. Rather, they interpret the facts of their history in a way to make them victorious in the end. Blacks are blessed with so many victories that can confirm their new status as Overcomers of the worst atrocities that could have been inflicted on a people. In the overcome story, we do not diminish the atrocities. As a matter of fact, however bad they are currently described, we want to suggest that these hurts could be 1000 times worse. Yet, we overcame them to the point where we have had a two-term President of the United States of America and a black Vice President. The greater the atrocity suffered, the greater the victory over them should be celebrated.

There are currently no laws in the federal, state, or local governments of America that can be classified as anti-black. To the contrary, there are many laws, affirmative action laws, that favor blacks. And it is to be hoped that in the future, when MLK’s doctrine of judging humans by content of their character and not color of their skin is fully implemented, such laws favorable to blacks will be no longer needed.

The Overcome: A Black Passover is presented here as the needed and necessary Rite of Passage for blacks from the stage of victimhood promoted and celebrated by those who profit from victimhood to the new status where blacks are seen, through the victories of those who have gone before, as Overcomers of victimhood.

A Rite of Passage is an event, a ceremony and doing that marks an important happening in the stage of development of an individual, a people or nation. There are Rites of Passage at birth, puberty, marriage, menopause and death. There are Rites of Passage when colonies become nations. The colonial flag is lowered for the last time as the national flag of the new nation is raised for the first time! These rites mark stages in development. They create the before/after thereby establishing the change in situation, character in the case of blacks from victims to victors. The Overcome is the Rite of Passage for blacks from victim status to victor’s status. Overcome (to overcome or shall overcome) is a verb that we are boldly changing into a noun, The Overcome. And just as the Jews changed the verb passover into the noun The Passover, the Overcome will become the rite/ceremony whereby black people leave the status of victimhood to assume the status of victors over victimhood. They will change the verb shall overcome to the noun, The Overcome via this simple rite and go forward living as overcomers, capable of overcoming all obstacles, small or large placed in their future path. This will effectively mark the time when the culture changes its functional character from victimhood to victor status, not so much from their own efforts, but by the struggles and victories won by their ancestors.

Also included in this new offering are original sketches of some of those ancestors who have contributed to The Overcome by being examples of people who despite real hardships and intentional actions to make them losers fought the good fight and did not only survive multitudes of atrocities, but overcame them in more difficult circumstances, thereby assuring present and future generations that just as they were able to overcome the massive negatives of their time, so can present and future generations. Some of these past overcomers who now form the pantheon of overcomers are presented. Many more, living and dead, can be added to the pantheon of Overcomers over the millennia to come, but no living person can join the pantheon. They must first complete their lives in this world and be certified by their deeds before entering this great company/pantheon of victorious Overcomers whom we are asked to remember, celebrate, and emulate.

In this new offering of The Overcome: A Black Passover, the Rite of Passage is presented first. The rest of the book then argues the logic, the reasoning, the purpose and the need for such a Rite of Passage. Some people will not do the rite. We hope most blacks would do the rite and through that act become Overcomers as they move into their futures. It’s a terrible thing to die believing that your life and the life of those who went before were for naught because you choose to live your life as a victim even to the very end. What a discredit to the life of all those who fought and died for the victory we can celebrate as Overcomers through their life’s work.

The OVERCOME RITE offers a fix to that way of perceiving and interpreting history. It says that the hardships, the evil intentionally wrought against blacks, bad as it was, actually did a great thing for us: it forged us into a new people who having overcome all that evil are now poised and steeled to overcome whatever any current or future oppressor plans for us. Let them know now that we are the overcomers. We do not sing We shall overcome someday day anymore! That was the working song. Through MLK and all those who went before, we declare that we have indeed Overcome. We are the Overcomers. It is our new character trait to overcome all things negative. And we will.

In the next stage, after celebrating the Rite of Passage of the overcome, we build all the life-saving, life- authenticating, and life- sustaining institutions, profit and non-profit, needed to prove and to demonstrate that we are indeed The Overcomers.

One last point to note is that in The Overcome Rite we do not name people who are still alive. Why? While they are alive, they could make massive mistakes that disqualify them from joining the pantheon of past overcomers. That is the reason why people as great as President Obama and Oprah Winfrey cannot be added yet. They most likely will be added to the pantheon after their deaths when they join Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela among the great number of freedom fighters who fought and won the victories, which give us the evidence we need to proclaim and celebrate that we are no longer victims trapped by the color of our skin, but victors and overcomers who did not just survive countless atrocities, but triumphed and became stronger. We remember that just as steel is forged in fire, so our new character as overcomers was forged through the trials and struggles of our ancestors who worked so hard to get us to this new status in life.

INTRODUCTION

T his Overcome rite has been written with one intent—that is, to serve to change the corporate/collective and individual character of Black people worldwide. Blacks have been made to suffer many things simply because of their color. Now, through the Overcome rite, we declare that the old ways of seeing, talking, and doing are now over. The new day has dawned, offering us many an opportunity to do the myriads of overcoming things that must be done b y us.

After we establish and do the Overcome rite, our character changes forever. We are thereafter to be known and understood as the people whose nature demands that we overcome any and all negatives placed in their way. For the Overcome now names our character, its traits and leanings. It points to Black habits, propensities, predispositions, and tendencies to overcome all barriers placed in the way. It shows the children that their forebears came from greatness, that they overcame countless trials and perplexities to bring us to this day.

The Overcome now becomes our collective/corporate victory story. And it is so designed that it can be made to hold all the missing victory sub-concepts we need to take us forward.

The Black preacher and other leading change agents will need to offer saving content to The Overcome. All these are already there in the language and experience of the people, but they could not heretofore be brought together and made to take root until through The Overcome, our common victory story, they are incorporated into the shared value of the society. Overcome will collect and hold, will interpret and pass on the successes, winnings, triumphs, and victories, large and small, of the community.

The Overcome, which is to be celebrated in a big way yearly on April 4 (around Passover, Easter, and Spring) on the day our primary martyr of the civil rights movement was sacrificed, will guarantee the above as we grow to understand the redemptive power within this rite. It should also be done during significant celebrations of the Black Story, such as January 1st, Commemoration the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, Juneteenth, Martin Luther King’s Birthday and Overcome Day, April 4th

It is to be hoped that at least once a week, the family, assembled over a major meal, could recite The Overcome rite so that the children can learn it and use it to form their character. They can also use the controlling story as the coloring for all things taught them by others.

Our trusting the public schools to teach the most basic truths about us is flawed. We must, rather, give the children such a grounding that they will be forced to test all teachings on the template of The Overcome story and over against The Overcome character.

In the end, The Overcome becomes the primary teaching tool for our children. Lies may be told about us, but The Overcome story gives each Black child a base to challenge those lies. Trouble, pain, poverty, and pathology may be currently part of our lives. But because our forebears, in worse times, overcame much more, (the Middle Passage and slavery) and since it is our very nature to overcome, for we celebrate our collective Overcome weekly over a big family meal, then, true to our character, we must overcome what is currently before us. This is the teaching tool we have been waiting for. This is the key that will open the door. This is the insight that frees us to go on as other peoples.

The Overcome rite does offer us the key for overcoming the negativity of slavery. Read the rite and discovery that slavery was but our testing time. We have passed that test. Hear these words from the rite: All glory to the God of our ancestors who kept us through many generations, who safeguarded us through countless perils and trials, even the devastations of slavery, whereby we are now purged and redeemed for the exceeding glories of this day. Glory to God, for after the testing as in fire, You fashioned for us this new character. You gave us this new nature. With You at the helm, our most devastating experiences have been changed into that from which a priceless jewel arises, with such brilliance that its alluring brightness awakens our sleeping consciousness and we are now faced with the joyful realization that we have Overcome, through You!

In all that you do, please remember that the doing of The Overcome does not mean that it is time for complacency. There is an already accomplished-ness to our declaring our Overcome. But it functions more like the events around the purchasing of your first house with a thirty-year mortgage. The house is yours, and it is the bank’s. You have a generation, thirty years, to make it yours. Please understand that The Overcome, like the Jewish Passover, marks the beginning, not the end, of a victorious walk into the future.

Remember also that the main reason why Blacks are so far behind most other races, the Jews in particular, is that whereas the Jews did their Passover before they left to signal the change in their character and the resolve of their collective will, Blacks plan to do overcome in the end! Note the word Passover is really a verb, to pass over, just as overcome is a verb, to overcome, shall overcome. But the Jews, several thousand years ago, dared to turn a verb into a noun to name a done deal. Now, we will do the same. That act of changing the verb to pass over into the noun, The Passover, was the most revolutionary thing, conceptually, ever done in the history of mankind. Our change of the verb shall overcome to the noun, The Overcome, will in time and history prove to be the second most revolutionary conceptual change in the history of mankind.

It might be self-esteem building to reflect that both times these revolutionary conceptual changes happened around Africans. Moses was an African of the Nile. We are Africans of the Diaspora.

Celebrate The Overcome rite and so discover some of what informs the Jews, keeping them passing over perplexities, even those as bad as the Holocaust. They keep going. We shall do the same too.

In doing The Overcome, you need not change your religion or denomination. I do not want followers. I only need to know that each and every Black person worldwide can believe one simple beginning story and do one simple, same thing. So despite all our diversity in tribe and language, we boast the same character traits.

Contributions by

Camay C. Murphy

Inella D. Redmond

Griff Griffin

David Bramble

Lori Kennedy

Electronic Design & Layout

Charles Lowder

The UnderGround Railroad

[e-mail]

The Baltimore Times Publishers

Baltimore, Maryland

The Overcome

Monument concept drawing by James Earl Reid, Sculptor

The Overcome story is told.

The questions are asked by children.

CHILD: Who are we?

PARENT (Female): We are the Overcome people, the people of the Overcome. Our people, the Black people of Africa, have been made to suffer much. Out of this suffering, our new character has been forged. We are by nature, definition, and character the people who can, must, and