This post is meant to offer hope to African American seeking recovery. The first kidnapped Africans were brought to America as Slaves in 1619(city of Jamestown, Virginia). This year marks the 400th year anniversary of Africans living in America (1619-2019). There are two ways this story can be told. One, from the perspective of the 10 PM News in any city in American which routinely and stereotypically depicts African Americans as lazy, dishonest, criminal, oversexed, immoral, addiction prone individuals, who have contributed little to the success of this country. Then there is the truth! Objectively, historians 100 years from now looking back on our first 400 year history in America and conclude, "What an amazing people! During their first 254 years in America they were brutalized in Chattel slavery (1619-1863). This was followed by 146 years of lynchings, victims of burnings (especially churches and Black owned businesses), beatings (read the story of Emit Till), bombings (read the story of the four little girls, Birmingham, Alabama and Black Wall Street), medical Maltreatment (read the story of the Tuskegee Experiment), Jim Crow Laws, discrimination, racism, redlining, voter suppression, job discrimination, last hired/first fired, police brutality, police shootings and Mass incarceration. Yet, they rose to produce some of the most successful people in world history." When Tennis Arthur Ashe was diagnosed with HIV he said, "I handled being black in America. I'll handle this too." For African Americans reading this post who are seeking addictions recovery, know that recovery is within your reach in that you come from a people who persevere and succeed. Scroll down to view a partial list of African American Achievers.
Mae Jamison, MD
Astronaut and Medical Doctor
Integrated Major League Baseball
The only Player who's Number is retired by the entire league
First Prominent Recovering Alcoholic
Leader of The Black Temperance Movement.
Number one Ballerina in The World
Madam C.J. Walker
First Female Self-made Millionaire in America
One of The Best Surgeons in The U.S.
Separated Conjoined Twins.
Greatest Gymnast of all time.
First African American Billionaire
Most Successful Talk Show Host in History
First African American to earn a PHD from Harvard
Greatest of All Time
Greatest of All Time
Greatest Entertainer of All Time
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King JR.
Leader of the Civil Right Movement
Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Queen of Soul
Voted Best Singer of The 20th Century By Rolling Stone Magazine
George Washington Carver
Scientist, Inventor, Chemist, Botanist
Greatest Tennis Star of All Time
Supreme Court Justice
Her calculations played a key role in the first U.S. Successful Flight to Outer Space
Oscar Winning Actor
Astronaut, Pilot, Scientist