No Excuse for Ignorance

In my twelve years of schooling in South Africa, I was taught history. The syllabus covered European History, which was largely focused on World Wars 1 and 2, and South African history. The stories we learned and the history books we studied were written by white authors with a one-sided point of view and specific agenda. One particular historic moment every white South African child learned about was “The Battle of Blood River”. It is considered to be the most significant battle in South African history. The battle took place on the 16th of December 1838 on the banks of the Ncome River between 464 Voortrekkers and 15,000 Zulus. The story we were taught was very black and white – except for the red blood that spilled from the murdered Zulus into the river. White students were taught that the Voortrekkers were heroes for defending themselves under such dire conditions and for ultimately prevailing against the Zulus. Of course, there’s much more to this story. The Voortrekkers had rifles and the Zulus had spears. The Voortrekkers were invading, and the Zulus were defending their land. The story told to me was skewed to instill Afrikaner nationalism. The truth, as I later learned, was far more complex. The Battle of Blood River is a fascinating and complicated story that carries a huge significance in the history of South Africa and the relationship between the Zulus and the Afrikaners.

 

I never learned about American history. When I came to the United States, my focus was largely on studying the history of jazz. It is a truly American art, created by geniuses who I revered and admired. Louis Armstrong. Charlie Parker. John Coltrane. Thelonius Monk. Sonny Rollins. Miles Davis. Coming to America, I had no knowledge about the Civil War, the history of slavery in this country, and how the nation, in many ways, is still very much divided. Through my study of jazz, and the artists who created the music, I started to see and hear a different picture of America through the eyes of these artists. I was shocked to learn about the discrimination of my American heroes and the unjust existence they had, and have to, endure.

 

It is important to seek the truth. It is important to understand how we got to where we are right now. It is critical to try and understand the world from all perspectives. It is the only way to get the full, richer perspective of who we are. The goal should not be for us to become color-blind and see all things as equal. The goal should be for us to respect and honor all colors, all stories, and all histories. There is so much to learn when we try and see things from another person’s perspective.

 

I have taken it as my responsibility to continue to open my eyes and educate myself on the American story. Thanks to a number of incredible authors, I have managed to educate myself about the complicated layers that lie beneath history. The good and the bad.

 

Here is a very short list of some of the books that, I highly recommend. They are all artfully written and collectively tell a part of the story of this beautiful country that I am proud to have made my home.