Beautiful is our Blackness

'As a Black Brit of Jamaican descent, my lineage was shrouded by mystery. Growing up in Britain, I lived under the impression that my history began with slavery! Africans were brought to the Caribbean to work for the enrichment of various European Empires, in my case: the British Empire. Self-hatred was the byproduct of this understanding for me - also known as Afrophobia. I abhorred being of African-Jamaican descent. Until I came into contact with the truth. Our saviour and Lord gently, sometimes harshly, led me down a path of awakening; confronting me with the truth of myself. Dr. Robert Beckford refers to this as experiencing Dread. Jesus not only saved me spiritually. He saved me culturally. This Black History Month, I present the poem that was the fruit of this encounter. It is entitled: Beautiful is our Blackness!' Aaron Bent