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10 TOP THINGS THAT UNITE BLACK PEOPLE

THE TOP 20 SUPERSTITIONS BLACK PEOPLE LIVE BY

THE 10 WORST EVENTS THAT HAPPEN TO BLACK PEOPLE

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SECTION 1



THE TOP
10 THINGS
THAT
UNITE
BLACK
PEOPLE




Black people are diverse and unique all over the world. We
speak different languages, believe in different faiths, and
have completely different outlooks on life.

Attributing a single characteristic to the Black race as a
whole can be as inaccurate as attributing one characteristic
to the entire human race; whereas living, loving, and dying
are possibly the only three that extend to the entire human
race.

I have compiled a list of 10 things that unite, but don’t
define Black people as a race.



1. Pride

Black pride is the appreciation for the past, the present,
and future of the people. It isn’t discretely defined as
celebrating Black History Month or knowing Black history.
It’s the lifestyle that many live day-to-day or even the
appreciation and support of their race. Just as pride for
your country or profession bring people together, the pride
of accomplishments bring Black people together.



2. Soul

The irony of the word soul; is that hundreds of years ago it
was taught that Black people didn;t have souls. Today, Black
people define the word “soul. Many black people embody a
phenomena many people can’t explain or emulate, but can
recognize and feel when they see it, hear it, or experience
it in any form. I must point out, not all black people have
soul, and the lack thereof does not make them less black.
Call it soul, swagger, or charisma; Black people possess
this quality that originates from the Black experience.



3. Pain

Whether you are Black, White, Asian, or Hispanic, funerals
bring the family together as death unexpectedly unites people.
We are united by different histories of pain. Historians
typically desensitize and de-personify tragic events by
describing people as merely numbers. Thousands of slaves were
captured, thousands of Jews were killed. It all boils down to
the fact that thousands of people like you, me, or your family
were killed. That’s pain that unites.



4. Success

Whether you are a high school graduate or president of a corporation,
you will most likely gravitate to people who share your accomplishments.
There are many levels of success black people attain, and on every level
of your climb to success, you will unite with those who aspire to your
level of success.



5. Aspirations For TheFuture

Sometimes we get caught in defining Black culture as what has happened
in the past, when we should be looking to the future. Black people are
always looking towards the future. A few years ago, many aspired to be
the first black president, or even thinking of changing society so that
it would be better for their own children.



6. Welcoming of The Unknown

Black people have historically been a welcoming, xenophellic people. A
race that is open to new cultures, people and trends. Black people extend
their families by inviting people to be god-parents or fictive kin
(pretend aunts, uncles, and others who are close to their family). The
ability to adapt and welcome people allows Black people to understand
others who are different and have compassion for Blacks they might not
personally know.



7. Religion

Religion brings millions of black people together. The Christian and
Islamic faiths account for a majority of the religious populations in
the world. It is a foundation in most societies and probably unites
Black communities the most.



8. Origin

No matter where you go, you can appreciate meeting someone from your
hometown or country. Many Black people will travel to a distant state
or country for a family reunion or cultural parade.  I know many
people in college who picked their school because it was far away from
their hometown. Ironically, when they arrived to college, they mainly
befriended people from their own hometown.



9. Art

Black artistic expression has influenced music, movies, and American
culture itself. Black art connects people’s mind’s, bodies
and soul; for example, it has created music sub-cultures like Reggae,
Hip-Hop, R&B, Rap, Soca, Jazz, and Soul.


10. Dialect

How we speak and what language we speak connects people. Black people
speak all types of languages and have many unique accents. While there
is no such thing as “talking Black,” there are certain mannerisms,
accents, and voice tone sounds that are unique to Black peoples’
heritage and origin.



The Top 10 Things That Unite Black People
http://newsone.com/640785/the-top-10-things-that-unite-black-people/



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SECTION 2



THE TOP 20
SUPERSTITIONS
BLACK PEOPLE
LIVE
BY




African-American superstitions originate from a mixture of ancient
African religion, Native American traditions, and European folklore.

Growing up do you remember hearing that an itchy palm means you are
going to receive money soon? Or stepping on a crack can break your
mothers back? Or dreaming of fish means someone you know is
pregnant?

In our technologically savvy times some of these are regarded as
foolish wives tales, but superstition was part of a legitimate
belief system during slavery. There are many recorded instances
of slave masters who stated they saw Black magical conjurers that
healed the sick, performed spells and curses, and taught others
these superstitions.

Although many typically wont admit they are superstitious, there
are many superstitions black people believe in because of how deeply
ingrained they are in Black culture.


I have compiled a list of 20 superstitions that many black people
pass on generation upon generation.

1. Step on a crack, break your mothers back.

I remember learning this rhyme as a child, and always thought of
it as an innocent childish game, but feared the repercussions of
stepping on that infamous crack in the pavement. I recently learned
that the original rhyme was far from innocent: Step on a crack and
your mother will turn black. It is believed to come from the late
19th century racism. Who would have known?!


2. If your ear is ringing someone is talking about you.

I know many people who believe this one. This superstition creates
paranoia in many because nobody wants to find out someone is talking
about them behind their back.


3. Dont cut a babys hair before his/her first birthday.

If you do so they will have bad hair or bad luck. This wives tale
may hold valid reasoning. African American hair naturally changes
consistency and texture many times throughout their lifetimes, and
methods of hair cuts can affect the look or texture. This old wives
tale originates from the fear of coarse, harder to manage hair
many refer to as bad hair, along with a recorded history of babies
who have gotten sick because they did not have hair to help in keeping
them warm. Id probably research more before I tried it on my child.


4.Sunshine,Raining, and Thunder at the same time: The devil is beating
his wife.

This is called a Sunshower when the sun is shining and it is raining
and/or thunder and lightning at the same time. Sun showers are very
rare occurrences. Does that mean that the devil keeps his wife happy
typically?


5. If you keep making funny faces, one day it will get stuck that way.

As a child I always believed this one. I remember seeing a man with
very big eyes, and believed that the condition was self-inflicted. It
is a humorous superstition, although we all know that your face will
not really get stuck.


6. If your palm is itching that means that you are coming into some money.

An itching in the right palm means coming gain; in the left, coming loss.

Whenever my moms right palm would itch, we would go buy lottery tickets.
We have yet to win, but the itchy palm superstition is one of my favorites
to this day.


7. Dont talk on the phone or turn on the TV while it is thundering and
lightning.

Apparently you can get struck by lightning. I always thought of this as
a superstition, but recently found out that this one was true. If you are
using a landline telephone, you can be shocked by a lightning bolt. There
have been lightening related deaths, due the lightning hitting a home and
the current passing through wires. Preventative measures have been
implemented into most home appliances, but the risk still exists.


8. Dont put your purse on the floor or youll stay broke.

purse on floor

I think this superstition is used to teach people accountability. A magic
curse may not be the reason youre broke if you put your purse on the floor,
but it might be the issue if youre not paying attention to your purse and
the valuables inside of it. Although I dont believe this superstition, I
avoid removing a womans purse off of the floor at all costs. It would be
disrespectful on one hand, and wouldnt want to be blamed for cursing
someone to be broke.


9. Dont go to the zoo when you are pregnant.

Your baby will come out looking like an animal, particularly a monkey.

This superstition sounds like it was also created from racist notions.
I was unable to find the origin of this superstition, while there has
yet to be a baby who has transformed into an animal. I am sure this
superstition keeps pregnant women away from the zoo.


10. Fish dreams means that someone is having a baby.

A friend from college once received a call from her grandmother, asking
her if she was pregnant. Her grandmother had a dream of fish. Believe it
or not, my friend was pregnant. Call it mothers intuition, or mysticism,
it is a very interesting superstition.


11. Animals know when you are pregnant.

This superstition is somewhat true. Some scientists believe that a dogs
keen sense of smell allows it to notice a hormonal difference in a woman
when shes pregnant. This phenomena is not completely explainable, but
does happen.


12. If you break a mirror, you will have 7 years of bad luck.

Luck is a funny thing. We avoid things that can create bad luck, and believe
that we can use lucky items to change our bad luck to good luck. Ive broken
a few mirrors in my life, possibly the reason I have yet to win the lottery.


13. Its bad luck to cross a black cats path.

This is a timeless myth that originates from multiple cultures. Black cats
seem to be mystical, sneaky, and even evil. It is always creepy to cross
paths with a black cat at night when you are walking alone. It kind of makes
you wonder what might happen next.


14. Never buy your boyfriend or husband shoes as a gift. Because hell walk
out your life with them.

I know many women who believe this superstition. I never heard of anyone who
this has happened to, but I can imagine there are people who can lay claim to
this.


15. You will catch a death of cold by walking around with wet hair.


This one is true. Your head releases most of the heat in your body. If your
hair is wet and you are in cold temperatures, you are putting your body at
risk of getting a cold.


16. Girls are carried high; boys are carried low.

This is a myth about predicting the gender of a baby during pregnancy. Doctors
have proven that this superstition is not true. In fact the way the baby is
carried depends on muscle tone or the way the baby has positioned itself in the
uterus. It is fun to speculate or guess the gender, but this one isnt
scientifically true.


17. If you allow children to sweep the floor, they will sweep up
unwanted guests.

I have heard this one before and believe there is some truth to it. Children
typically take a long time to do mundane tasks like cleaning, so I can imagine
that any guests who arrive during your cleaning process are unwanted.


18. When you cross the railroad tracks you touch a screw for safe crossings.

I never listened to this superstition as a child. I always thought it was
better luck to get across the tracks as fast as you could.


19. Never put your hat on a bed, or you will have bad luck (or worse die).

I have been guilty numerous times of putting a hat on a bed, and never
thought twice about it until I saw a superstitious friends reaction.
The worst consequence I can remember was when someone laid down on my
hat. Poor hat.


20. Splitting the Pole Gives you bad luck.

If you are walking with someone, never let a pole, sign, or scaffold,
break the plane between the both of you. After a bad experience, I
always take heed to this superstition. One day during the winter I was
walking down the street with a group of friends towards a pole. My
friends warned me not to split the pole, and said I should walk on the
same side of the pole they were walking on. I ignored them, and after a
few steps, slipped and fell on black ice. From now on, I dont split
poles at all, or I say bread and butter to protect myself from the
ensuing bad luck.



The Top 20 Superstitions Black People Live By
http://newsone.com/newsone-original/samalesh/20-black-superstitions/



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SECTION 3



THE 10
WORST EVENTS THAT
HAPPEN TO
BLACK
PEOPLE




Since the existence of man, the worst things have always happened
to the Black raceand NO I am not talking about Black Republicans
or Flavor Flav!

Black people have persevered through countless years of slavery,
racism and the crack epidemic.

What possibly could be the worst event the Black race has ever
experienced?

The following 10 events will outline the worst events to happen
to Black people in history.



1. Colonization: The Scramble for Africa

During the 19th century, European countries saw Africas richness
in natural resources and decided that it would be a great place
to conquer and colonize. Each European country raced to the
continent and treated it like a huge buffet table; but perhaps
forgot to ask AfricaAre you going to eat that? The theft of the
land included our heritage, resources, history, and was possibly
the reason for the rest of the worst events listed.



2. Slavery

After all this, Europeans then decided they needed people to work
for them, but for FREE. Enslaved Africans were the first type of
slaves in history to be owned by law, and were treated as property
that could be sold, beaten, or killed at owners consent. Slavery
stripped Black people of common human rights, tore apart societies,
and is one of the worst events to ever happen to a group of people.



3. Imposition of Religion

One of the greatest tools of enslaving Africans was Christianity.
Their strategy was to send missionaries and militaries to embrace
and accept their message as Africans were very religious. What
they did not anticipate was the ass-whooping the military had in
store for them.

Christianity not only played a role in tricking Africans, it also
was used to make whites believe slavery was not a negative act.
White populations were taught that Africans didnt have souls so
many embraced the idea of owning Black people.



4. Institutionalized Racism

If something is law, then it must be right? Right? Of course not.
This is evident by what we have witnessed with Jim Crow laws,
apartheid, and the numerous other laws that have stripped Blacks
of our human rights. Institutionalized racism forced nations to
practice bigotry, making an atrocious belief become a foundation
of societies. In the United States, institutionalized racism is
no longer as evident as it was 60 years agoconsidering we dont
talk about the prison system.



5. The AIDS Epidemic

It is believed by many that AIDS was created as a biological weapon
to wipe out the Black race, and was administered in polio vaccines
to thousands of Africans in the 1950s and the smallpox vaccine to
thousands of Africans in the 80s.

Despite the validity of these theories, the AIDS epidemic hit Africans
and African-Americans hard becoming the number one killer of
African-Americans for numerous years. In 2008, an estimated 22.4 million
people in sub-Saharan Africa were living with HIV/AIDS.The Silent Killer
has ravished Black society, as it has also marked us with a label of being
sexually irresponsible.



6. The Color Line

In 1903, W.E.B. Dubois stated that the problem of the 20th century is the
color-line; a concept dealing with discrimination which exists in politics,
academia, and all types of class systems.

In the early 1900s, African-American class systems were created;
lighter-skinned people typically went to college, were more accepted
and successful, and created elitist societies like the Black Bourgeoisie.

This idea of class systems exists in all races. It is rather prevalent
in the Black race because of the clear distinction of skin-tone.



7. The Crack Epidemic

The epidemic hit the U.S. in the 1980s and devastated Black communities.

Crack became a multi-million dollar illicit industry that ravished Black
communities in New Orleans, Philadelphia, New York City, Houston, San
Diego, and Baltimore to name a few. As a result of the rampant drug use,
crime skyrocketed and many communities have yet to recover to this day.



8. Invasion and Westernization of Egypt

Does it matter if Cleopatra was Black or White? Yes, its crucial to our
academic existence. We understand that the Romans invaded Egypt, but who
actually contributed to the greatest wonder of the world?


White people?

By taking credit for some of the most genius inventions known to man, they
have taken away the only evidence of a magnificent BLACK civilization. All
the art shows evidence of darker-skinned people, and many historians
speculate that the Sphinxs nose was exploded off to hide the fact that it
had African features. We can speculate if Egypt was in fact a Black
civilization, but must I remind everyone that Egypt is in Africa.



9. Educational Disparity

African-Americans have had a history of low achievement in the educational
system for years. Culture, learning, teaching patterns, importance of
education, and prejudice have all contributed to the low levels of achievement.
It has also contributed to crime and many other problems that affect the Black
community. The stigma of unintelligent Black people has prevailed for years,
even with the increasing number of Black intellectuals.



10. Modern Day Genocide

The continent of Africa has been vastly exploited for its resources. That
corruption and theft has been a foundation of these new governments who
recently gained their independence. Genocide and religious wars have turned
countries into uncivil places for anyone. Thousands of people are being
enslaved, killed, and exploited for material things non-Africans benefit
from like diamonds.



The 10 Worst Events That Happened To Black People
http://newsone.com/newsone-original/samalesh/the-10-worst-things-that-happened-to-black-people/



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