I Experienced Racism
I Should Changes Churches...
A few years ago I asked if we could sing the ‘Black National Anthem’ each Sunday
during Black History Month. I was told that it didn’t fit in with the lessons. I said that I
had done it at another congregation during the month, but I was told that it wasn’t fitting.
A few years later I asked again, but this time I was told that we could sing it after service
was over. To me, that was saying that my heritage and culture was not good enough for
the entire congregation to sing together since most people leave after the final
proclamation. I found it interesting when I went to a diocesan event during Black History
Month, at a mostly Euro congregation that the procession hymn that they sang was ‘Lift
Every Voice and Sing. I asked a member of that congregation about it, and was told that
they sang it every Sunday during Black History Month. Maybe it’s time for me to switch
to another congregation that does celebrate my heritage, and the heritage of all its
members.
A few years ago I asked if we could sing the ‘Black National Anthem’ each Sunday
during Black History Month. I was told that it didn’t fit in with the lessons. I said that I
had done it at another congregation during the month, but I was told that it wasn’t fitting.
A few years later I asked again, but this time I was told that we could sing it after service
was over. To me, that was saying that my heritage and culture was not good enough for
the entire congregation to sing together since most people leave after the final
proclamation. I found it interesting when I went to a diocesan event during Black History
Month, at a mostly Euro congregation that the procession hymn that they sang was ‘Lift
Every Voice and Sing. I asked a member of that congregation about it, and was told that
they sang it every Sunday during Black History Month. Maybe it’s time for me to switch
to another congregation that does celebrate my heritage, and the heritage of all its
members.
61-69, M
