Wind Done Gone

The book, "Wind Done Gone", is the diary entries of a black woman. Throughout, you find out she is actually half black and half white. Born into slavery, she is sold away from her family at the age of 13. The diary takes you through her slave days and into freedom and leads up to her marrying a rich white man, but then leaving him for a black congressman. I'm not recommending the book, it's a slow read, and some moral issues I find surprising and plainly distasteful; however, the book has invoked some very deep thought.

The United States is a young country, and we have come a long way. Still learning and growing though. But I think of these days, and wonder how few generations I would need to go back to find my ancestors enslaved. I don't think of myself as black or white or any race for that matter, I think of myself as Samantha. Color is of no distraction to me, but listening to this book, and hearing this lady's story - I had to consider it. She was like me - black and white - but a slave. I can't imagine being a slave, much less being sold away from my family. What tragic things these people suffered.

This is part of my culture? It's a question I asked myself driving down the road this morning. Amazing. I come from a great people, strong people, loving people, hard working and loyal people. They had issues, big ones, moral and otherwise, but all in all I believe the black people struggled well.

It all makes me interested in finding out about my family, my ancestors, where did they come from?

I also thought of the time when my mom and birth father married. It makes me proud. That was a hard time, and they stood strong in the face of social disapprovement. They were individiuals, their own people, and they didn't let social norms dictate their lives to them. I am proud of their courage and their strength.