There Is So Much Power In Our Words When We Speak The Truth

Aside from being a free Black man during a time in this country when most of our people were enslaved, Benjamin Banneker was also a genius. He designed, invented, and engineered so well that even the most racist of Americans respected his work.

That was the problem.

ONLY Banneker’s work was respected, not his personhood. So he decided to publicly challenge the biggest hypocrite in the white leadership of this country, Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson squawked about all men being equal and free, but still enslaved our people and considered us inferior to whites.

Banneker took the two-faced forefather to task in a letter that went viral. He pointed out that his genius disproved Black inferiority and called for Jefferson to end slavery and mandate that all men TRULY be free!

Banneker’s public challenge of the powerful white man was unheard of! On top of that, he said what he said! His letter was forceful and did not sugarcoat his demand for Jefferson to end slavery.

The result?

Jefferson wrote a short response saying Banneker was right – but put zero actions behind his words. But the truth in the letter inspired millions to seek the abolition of slavery in spite of Jefferson’s power. How can you use the power of truth for our liberation?