Now, I Know My Life Had a Purpose

I know I wrote of this in another recent posta stark poignancy how farm boys and men lined
(and NO, I do not have a slow form of dementia,up to enlist for the military in bare feet. You see,
thank you!) You know how some parts of amany of the farm boys and men were mainly
conversation come back to you? You weresharecroppers, and had NO shoes, except one
listening but the really important point essentiallypair, their 'Sunday best' shoes which were
'snagged' itself cognitively...for digestion later. I wasbrogans! My Father said there were lines and lines
talking to my Father on October 16th, I had notof Black men, standing in the hot Georgia
talked to him practically all summer and really...allsun,waiting and willing to serve this country in their
my life, not like that day.bare feet and farm clothing. It did not matter that
I had not spoke with my Father all summerunconscionable atrocities of racism (lynchings,
because I was 'birthing' my book. Did I mentionstark injustice, they could not vote, and Jim
my forthcoming book? It is: 'Notes From theCrowism) were realities that these MEN and my
Mothership The Naked Invisibles' due outFather (as a young boy) lived with and under in
December 2007.'that' America. Those men chose to defend and
I called my Father to finally check on him afterbelieve in even that America!
speaking with one of my brothers (I would getWhat my Father said of his growing up in an
updates on how he was doing throughout theAmerica where HE could not vote for a period of
summer!) My Father had this to say about metime, where HE could not drink from any water
and the book, "Now, I know my life had afountain he pleased, or go wherever HE wanted
purpose!" I was astounded when I thought ofto go as an American is this, he wants to see a
those words in retrospect. He seriously meantgreat Black President in his lifetime! My Father
that! I am the oldest of nine children of Louis andbelieves in the greatness of Obama. Without
Mable. My Mother died from breast cancer inhesitation he is voting for Obama. My Father a
1989. And my Father, a survivor, an inventor, andwise man told me that there is NO WAY any
a visionary, stated that my accomplishmentsBlack person in his generation would not vote for
have given his life purpose. I am blessed.Obama.
My Father is Louis Samuels. He was born inI mention all this because this is truly the
Albany, Georgia in 1933 on a 330 acre pecan farmdemographic that will support Mr.Obama to no
which my great Grandparents and his Mother andend. These older Black folks, the survivors of an
Father and a village of extended familyAmerica that no one in their right mind can ever
sharecropped on. As he reminisced he talked ofimagine are the unheralded (?) well of support and
the plentitude of food, and everything that he andlove for the promise of America and America's
the families consumed was raised direct from thefuture. I did not realize this fact fully until I listened
soil and the animals on the farm. There wasto the stories of my father, one of many
always plenty of food, the comforts of familialsurvivors of the recent past of Jim
bonding, and of course plenty of work.Crow,lynchings, and stomped out human and civil
Presently, my Father is sinking slowly, very slowlyrights. As his memory softens many bits deferred
into a mild form of dementia. He forgets orpain leak out. Right now I am grateful that I am
maybe there is not much he wants to remember.listening.
Yet, his memory for 'those days' is like itI think this story is one that we as supporters of
happened yesterday. He talked of the time whenObama can take inspiration from. My Father from
the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and all thethat sharecropping farm in rural Albany, Georgia is
Black men on the farm and the surrounding farmsone of Obama's strongest and staunchest
heeded the military call to action. He recalled withsupporters. We are winners!