“It is so important for you and me to spend time today learning something about the past so that we can better understand the present, analyze it, and do something about it.
Malcolm X, Civil Rights Activists
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
George Santayana
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
William Faulkner, Fiction Writer
“History is kept by the state, outsiders, or the community. When a community fails to keep its history, it becomes an accomplice along with the state and outsiders to imposing the psychological trauma within the community.”
Dr. Micheal Kane, Clinical Traumatologist
My Dear Readers,
In the previous blog, “The Houston Riot of 1917 – “An Opportunity to Correct the Record”, I wrote about the military court martials of 157 & executions of 19 Black Soldiers during WWI. Descendants of these young men have fought for 106 years to have these convictions overturned and have the truths exposed.
The descendants were successful in overturning the convictions that lead to dishonorable discharges and swift executions without avenues of appeals of either.
However, in the quest to correct the record, the truths regarding the explicit acts of racism within the trial was not exposed. The one-time trial of 157 soldiers was conducted on a massive scale, in secrecy with the immediate carrying out of the death sentences. Furthermore, to add to the injury, the military and the federal government had never issued a formal statement to the descendants, the African American community, or the nation, apologizing for its actions.
The timing of the announcement of the “correcting the record” was deliberate and planned to receive minimal response. To not serve as a distraction. Instead of an early release, the press release came several days following Veteran’s Day.
There was no fanfare, no statement from President Biden in his role as commander in chief of the military. Although the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are African American men, no formal statement was made by either individual.
The Community: An Accomplice in Imposing Trauma
In my previous blog, to paraphrase, I stated that when a community fails to keep its history it becomes an accomplice to the psychological trauma being imposed upon and experienced within it.
Divided Quietness
I have received ample feedback ranging from condemnation and outrage to defensiveness regarding the current level of silence and the desire to place this incident in the “past”.
The African American community is not monolithic. Specifically, it does not speak in one voice. In relation to the revelation of the incident, military court martials, executions and now correcting the record, the reactions have varied, and the response have been a “divided quietness”.
Reactions have included:
- “I didn’t know.”
- “It happened a long time ago.” (106 years)
- “It has nothing to do with me.”
- “Leave it in the past.”
- “I don’t want to burden my children.”
- “It makes me angry … I don’t want to talk about it.”
- I am not going to tell my children; they don’t need to know.
- “I have to pray about this.”
Responding to Transgenerational Trauma: Understanding the What & How
As a clinical traumatologist focusing on working with traumatized populations, the objective is to assist those impacted in responding to traumatic injury and the goal is creating a safe space to process the incident(s) which is the foundation of the traumatic injury.
What is Transgenerational Trauma?
In layman’s terms, transgenerational trauma refers to traumatic experiences that are transmitted through the subconscious to subsequent generations and the greater society. People in the next or following generations find themselves showing symptoms of trauma without having experienced the trauma themselves.
What are the symptoms of Transgenerational Trauma?
- Lack of trust.
- Anger, frustration, or irritability.
- Insecurity and poor self-esteem.
- Anxiety disorders and depression.
- Difficulty trusting others.
- Unreasonable fear of injury or death.
- Substance abuse.
- Feeling disconnected or separated
- Numbing
What Can I Do? Coping with Traumatic Stress
First, accept your reactions. Then, be responsive by doing the following:
- Lean on your loved ones. Identify friends and family for support.
- Prioritize self-care. Do your best to eat nutritious meals, get regular physical activity and get consistent night’s sleep.
- Understand your own needs; be accepting of professional assistance such as counseling and/or psychotherapy.
- Be patient. It is normal to want to avoid things about a traumatic event.
Concluding Remarks:
“Live in the present… not in the past.”
My Dear Readers,
The above quote by a white reader, was sent to me several years ago. The quote seeks to deny the processing of transgenerational trauma which continues to this current day. There is a version by a black reader that stated, “put the past in the past”. Both versions reflect the typical desire I define as: D.E.A.D – Denial, Evasion, Avoidance, Distraction.
Simply stated, the desires to “live in the future” or “put the past in the past” do not work within the subconscious because feelings and thoughts are free flowing, therefore, cannot be directed or controlled. Furthermore, the realness that transgenerational trauma, specific to the African American identity of 403 years, have permanency … it never … ever goes away.
And in understanding the permanency of trauma, we cannot undo its 3E’s: Existence, Exposure, and Experience. We have a responsibility to educate and prepare our children.
We can do so with compassion and empathy. We can provide safe spaces to facilitate understanding and learn how to balance traumatic impacts and lighten the burden associated with the past. In doing so, we can empower ourselves towards emotional wellness, walking the landscape and achievement of self-discovery.
Best regards….
“My past has not defined me, destroyed me, deterred me, it has only strengthened me.”
Unknown
“Never be defined by your past. It was a lesson, not a life sentence.”
Unknown
Standing Alone… The Unspoken Truth
Loving Me More 