Memphis, My First Black Land Loss Summit, and Things to Learn

I was just back in the saddle at Abilene Christian University in January, 2006. The previous semester had found me traveling to North Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Kansas to interview Black farmers and their families who had been devastated by the oppression of fighting the USDA and the DOJ. Those had been days of learning about struggles and resiliencies of farmers and families. It was a time of learning about me.

In January, 2006, The African American Farmers & Land Legacy Summit was held in Memphis, Tennessee. It was led by Dr. Clenora Hudson-Weems, author of an important work on Emmitt Till.  Other prominent persons were there, Jackie Frazier-Lyde, Habiba Ali, Habiba Alcindor, Dr. Ridgley Muhammad, Gary Grant, Harry Young, Mayor A. C. Wharton, and many others.

Since I have journaled for years and have kept those “mental meanderings,” I looked through my notes for January, 2006.

It was an interesting summit. It was predominantly an all-black crowd with the exception of Phil Morasky, Dewayne Burger, Charla, and me. I felt both in and out. I felt called to the cause of justice for Black farmers, but that did not mean that my face was any different from the oppressors at the county office of the USDA.

I was a part of a panel that convened on Saturday morning to discuss “Physical and Mental Health Challenges of Black Farmers,” moderated by Dr. Alfred Brown who in his high school years had played with the classmate who later formed Booker T. and the MGs. Dr. Harry Davidson, Co-Chair of the Association for Black Psychologists; Dora Anderson, founding president of the Society for Disabled Citizens; Phil Morasky, rural chaplain and farmer from Michigan; and I were the panelists.

It was life changing and gut wrenching. Much of it is a blur. Dora was quiet and understated as she shared her story of advocating for her daughter in the automotive industry. Phil Morasky, like me a white guy, spoke gently and articulately about the spiritual challenges of farming while black. I spoke and some of my ideas were challenged by the panelists, but strongly supported by a physician/farmer from Mississippi. I remember him to this day with much gratitude. His name was Dr. Wheeler, an internal medicine doctor from central Mississippi.

Dr. Davidson and his intense speech and rhetoric were chilling to me as a person who just wanted to do well with the stories that had been told to me. Our paths had actually crossed a day or two earlier when I thought he was going to challenge me. Dr. Muhammad, Dawson, Georgia, spoke words of encouragement about our previous work in South Georgia back in October.

I remember that Dr. Davidson was enraged, spoke long and intensely, and was vehemently opposed to white oppression and oppressors. I was one of those. It got hot on the platform that day. A gentleman who has since become a good friend recognized that and spoke words of grace to me afterwards, brief but profound. “You did well,” was all he needed to say to me.

After the panel was completed, I still recall part of a conversation with Dr. Davidson. I mumbled something that I do not remember, but as he autographed his book with the words, “To Waymon, peace & love, Dr. Davidson,” he said quietly, almost beneath his breath, “you have to learn not to take things so personally.” That was all. Panel over. Calm restored. Intensity remained.  Autograph received. Chill. I have still not read the book, but it is on my list. It will be a hard read, one I need to do. The title?  “The Ultimate Conspiracy: An Assault on Democracy, Reason and Religion, Man’s Fall from God, the Role of Secret Societies, and Skull and Bones.” Long title for an intense book written by an intense man.

So, with that long story as a backdrop, what is the point? What are the points?  There are several for me. In this day and age of what we can learn from each other, what whites can learn from blacks, and what blacks can learn from whites, and how we can learn to live in peace and harmony, that encounter still is striking.

For me, among other things, is the lesson to learn and grow, and to apply what needs to be applied, to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. To let people have their say, to value the perspectives of others, and too understand that we bring ourselves to the table of understanding. My white way of looking at the world is only one way of making sense of things.  That people of color have their life experiences and their ways of looking at the world is something I continue to learn.

To live with differences is not to disregard others. To hear and to not take personally those things not intended to take personally, that is the challenge. To hear, take personally, and commit to change is perhaps the bigger challenge.