In their anthology, Four Hundred Souls, Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain write about the significance of the Black community. “The [Black] community managed to secure movements of joy and peace amid sorrow and war. There may be no better word to encapsulate Black American history than community. For better or worse . . . individuals of African descent have, for the most part, been made into a community, functioned as a community, departed the community, lived through so much as a community.” [1] Local resident Lula Gordan reinforced this idea when she described community as family. No matter what happened at work, school, or while shopping, you knew you were safe when you returned home to your community.
[1] Kendi, X. Ibram and Keisha N. Blain Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019. New York, One World, 2021. xvii.
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