Thousand Words Campaign:12

The Centennial Woman
By Belashia Johnson

“Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole….” [1]
Our unconquerable souls withstood 100 years of perseverance…
That began in a nation..
Of Less than…
1,000
Higher Educated…
Negroes.
A mere One generation away from the bonds of slavery’s chains…
But we thanks GOD for the unconquerable Women that were
Birthed into Slavery…
Whipped for their Bravery….
Chained at the ankles and still kept faith in Thee.
For the Black women..
Who picked cotton in scorching Heat
With bleeding Feet….
Separated families…No food to Eat.
Who were Molested…
Infected
And by society Rejected…
Receiving hatred’s attention, yet Still stood Neglected
Who fled from their masters so that they wouldn’t live a Life
As a slave, a mother, a concubine and Wife.
For the unconquerable Woman who said Enough is Enough…
When no man vouched for her or dared stand Up.
When Black women were inferior to all Whites and all Men.
When their expected field of labor was housework and the cotton Gins.
Because on January 15, 1908.…
There were still White eyes that were filled with Black Hate….
Who degraded all women, with black woman left Cold…
Seen as the bottom of the barrel and the totem Pole.
Not allowed to speak up…Not allowed to Vote…
Back when “Whiter if Righter” was the American Quote.
Back when the black woman’s neglection became the
Black woman’s Infection…
When Our founders saw potential in a world of Rejection.
And with every breath they inhaled, they exhaled their history’s Truth
That was inhaled by the next person ‘til it was breather into You.
So to move forward in our walk, we must study footprints of our Past,
For we know that those who endure will conquer those who are Fast.
But in order to move Forward,
We need to take it Back!
Back like….
Nellie Mae Quander being part of political Action…
For selfless giving of the common good, gaining spiritual Satisfaction.
Back like AKAs in the 1930’s, fighting to end hatred and Discrimination
Being the source for international funding and educational Stimulation.
Because we know that a mustard seed of faith
Mixed with a drop of Determination….
All wrapped into an AKA is one POWERFUL Combination!
And that’s why….
We will take it back!
Ethel Hedgeman Lyle said our duty is that our torches shine
Light to every Other Man,
And we’ve shined from Howard University allll the way
To the Motherland.
So when people hear
ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA,
Do you know what they See?
Other than that we’re pretty in pink and gorgeous in Green?
Pearls and pumps when we step on the Scene?
Struttin’ hard to “Scarred” or “PYT”?
Pinkies in the air with a proud “Skee Wee”?
Leeeeeeeeanin’ back in group pictures, showing that my sister’s
Can lean on Me?
They see….
That we’re a Sisterhood,
Deeply rooted in our communities…
Taking advantage of every Opportunity…
And I want YOU to say THIS individually--
That “Service Is Not New To Me.”
A Century seed was planted, and with FAITH, it has Bloomed into Me!
For ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA will always remain True to Me!
And now I can see that it is Finally getting Through to Me!
I never imagined in 100 years that This is what is would Do to Me!
For when I raise up my mirror, I can see the struggles of my Ancestry!
And it’s not by coincidence that I am here.
It’s only because God is Blessing Me!
And we know that when things get tough,
We can say that Satan is merely Testing Me!
Because he knows our faith is grounded in God, so only GOD can
Bring out the Best in Me!
And God placed us all here because we realize
That this is more than a mere Sorority!
We began as inferior to the world, and now WE’RE the forefront Majority!
“So let our Lives live the Ivies Be
A help to man and a wreath for Thee” [2]
Remembering our past so that we all can See…
The Unconquerable, CENTENNIAL WOMAN in you and Me!


Cited source from quoted verses: “Invictus” 1875 by William Ernest Henley (1): “The Ivy Hymn” (2)