A Love Letter To Black Men…

By Lela

Dear Black Men,

I have never really been the type to write love letters because I was always told “when a word is spoken, you can feel the emotions in it” but today I woke up feeling very inspired, and what was the cause of this inspiration you ask? Black men; and by Black men I mean the descendants of the Nubians, Akans, Asantis,Igbos, Yorubas etc I mean Black men as in the descendants of those who navigated the planet thousands of years ago, I mean Black men who are the descendants of Hannibal, King Taharqa, King Ramses I, Imotep, Shaka Zulu etc, I mean Black men as in the ones who brought up heroes like Marcus Garvey and Patrice Lumumba, I mean Black men like the ones with the wisdom of Malcolm and the Genius of Huey P. Newton, I mean Black men like the descendants of the Africans who survived the middle passage and life on the plantations, I mean Black men like the millions of nameless and faceless heroes who fought for the freedom we enjoy today, I mean Black men like the ones who continue to struggle in this cruel world These are the Black men who inspired me this morning.

I didn’t really have a draft in mind so I am just writing this from my heart.

When I look around at the state many of my brothers are in- it upsets me not because I am angry at them but I am angry they have internalised the state they have been reduced to. When you know someone is better than something you would always encourage them to do better. I admit to being misguided with my methods at times, but the frustration I feel when a brother has no will to be the man he is destined to be is immense. It breaks my heart when I see some brothers degrade their ancestors for a slice of the devils pie, it breaks my heart that even some sisters feel the need to “give up” on their men, It breaks my heart when a Black man can look his mother in the eye and say he has “given up” on Black women. The very idea that we no longer see each other with respect and feel the need to downgrade each other in front of the world is saddening. I am happy for a brother if he finds love with any woman and can raise children who will be productive to not only society but will also have some pride in their father’s identity. After all, we have had revolutionary trailblazers who fought imperialism from all backgrounds – It’s about what’s in their heart. But today a deep rooted sense of misguided anger is used in the way we see each other – The black man and woman’s dialogue contains shaming language and anger fuelled by society. I haven’t always had the best relationships with Black men but I won’t give up on them because they are all I have – we should be able to scream, shout, yell, fight, argue but also be able to come together in times of struggle. I’m not going to make this letter negative so I am going to switch up the energy and talk about the things that have made me fall in love with Black men.

 1)Their smile –

When a Black man smiles at me, I feel warmth. I feel as if the melanin in his skin sends down a ray from the sun that blesses my skin. I feel as if God himself has taken me into his arms and given me comfort –this isn’t to say other men cannot be as amazing but the smile of a Black man is one of the best memories I have. My father never really smiled but when he did, it was so contagious that it would instantly make me smile. The smile a Black man has can warm your heart instantly and lovingly. It’s daring yet dangerous, cunning yet kind and beautiful yet bold.

 2)Their Confidence –

Whether it’s a brother in a suit or a brother in sportswear; nobody can deny an incredible amount of confidence is exuded by Black men. This confidence is what took Muhammad Ali to the top of his game, not only was he a heavyweight champion but he was a spokesman for his community. Confidence on a brother is like a scent – it lingers long after he is gone; this is why we still quote Malcolm, Lumumba, Garvey etc when a Black man is confident in himself and in his community -society attacks his image. I love a Black man’s confidence because it lets me know that whatever happens I can rely on my strong brothers to be by my side; I can lift him up and he can go forth into the world and carry on to inspire future generations to come.

 3)Their variety –

Black men range from Midnight Black to Chocolate to Caramel to sun kissed golden brown and all other shades in between. They are found in nearly every continent on the planet and have influenced every society. Whether it’s the African-Caribbean brothers with their Island rhythm or the African American brothers with their amazing accomplishments or our brothers in the motherland with their amazing strength or our spicy brothers in Latin America etc One thing you cannot deny is Black men come like a premium diamond – cut from pure finery. I have met so many Black men and I get so inspired and have the thirst to learn about their various cultures; that variety is a lot for a sister to keep up with lol but it’s worth it.

4) Their strength –

A Black man to me is the pillar of strength – no matter what biological or physical attack he has been faced with; he will always persevere. The strength of the Black man can be seen in some of the world largest economies that were built from his suffering, sweat, blood and tears. The amount of slave revolts and revolutionary activities Black men have carried on their backs over the past few centuries show that Black men are not willing to go down without a fight. The Black man’s strength led him to free Haiti from its French slave masters and it led the maroons to go against the British with no weapons. The strength of Black men has guided many of them to the path of what’s right, even when they had little to no support from others. The Black man’s strength is society’s greatest fear – this is why he is put down daily to remove the strength given to him by God. This strength is what I look for in a man; a man who I can one day be with who will protect me and together we can go forth into the world and spread the message of freedom. This is the strength so great that once showed makes a Black man a target; a Black man who exudes strength must be removed from the earth because this strength can change the power dynamic and the shape of our world – Patrice Lumumba, Malcolm X, Fred Hampton etc strong Black men who were permanently removed from the planet for showing strength and courage in the face of adversity. This is the strength I admire, keep it up my brother – wake up in the morning and go forth and do your thing.

5) The final thing I love about Black men is their love –

A black man’s love comes in all forms; father to child, Husband to wife, Partner to partner or leader to community. When you have experienced a Black man’s love; you could never hate him. The way he gets up every morning with the world on his shoulders but still manages to do what he can for those around him – when a Black man loves you, your world becomes clearer – you smile brighter, you dance better, you feel amazing and you do what you can to keep him. This love is pure; untainted and sanctioned by God himself. I was raised by a Black man’s love – the way my father would look at my mother and she would smile; it made me feel so happy. When my father would look me in the eye and call me his princess – I hope to one day have a husband who would love my daughter the same way my father loved me. A Black man’s love comes with protection against any worries. It’s the greatest feeling to be loved by a Black man – this is why all of our greatest sheroes were able to carry on the struggle even when their Black men were gone; because even in death, the Black man’s love will always give you the strength and confidence to carry on fighting.

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