Cheryll A. Bellamy graduated from Cleveland State John Marshall Law school. She is an attorney, an ordained minister under Christian International, and a former assistant prosecutor. She is also the founder of Hannah's Heart: A Place for Every Women, which is an international healing ministry. She has traveled extensively ministering the Gospel to thirteen nations including Hungary, Italy, Israel, and Africa. She has written several training manuals and is the author of the book, A Home Without a Father, which has been translated into Hungarian and Italian. The Clashing of Swords: Christianity, Race, Politics - A Time of Change and Reawakening to a Greater Cause has been just recently published this year of 2009.
Both Cheryll and husband, Dr. Robert Bellamy, are founders of DeZine for Success, an entrepreneurship program for high school. A History of a People
Cheryll A. Bellamy, Attorney and Pastor
African American heroes, both men and women, are known by their gifts, human struggles, courage, resilience, and faith. These are the attributes that created the pathways of success for the next generation. The previous generation’s achievements became individual success ladders for the next generation to climb.
The televised Black Entertainment Network 2010 awards recognized five African Americans. The Entrepreneur honoree was Sean “Diddy” Combs, the Entertainment honoree was Whitney Houston, the Public Service/medicine honoree was Dr. Keith Black, the Media honoree was Queen Latifah, and the Education honoree was Dr. Ruth Simmons. The recipients each had a story to tell of their struggles and the ability to withstand the odds that were against them. They are a part of history-making which, by some standards, white America continually ignores. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every African American to keep the dream alive. One way is through the celebration of the success stories that we have heard from the beginning of slavery up to the generation of 2010. Justice and righteousness opened doors for us to celebrate our unique history.
We are grateful that we are still moving forward and exhibiting to every generation the possibilities of being successful in all areas of life. The generation of slaves taught us that freedom is worth dying for when our captors continue to keep us in poverty by not affording us equal opportunity. Our ancestors gave us the songs of deliverance and hope that one day theirs might be the voices to articulate a “Dream” for their children and themselves.
Harriet Tubman, the Black Moses, risked her life to set her brothers and sisters free from the nightmare of slavery. It was Harriet Tubman's mission and contribution to freedom which gave rise to the cessation of economic growth among white plantation owners throughout the South. No longer was the South able to build their wealth on the backs of black slaves. The voice of Harriet Tubman was a sound of action and courage for the creation of the Underground Railroad. Many black slaves, like the Hebrews of the Bible, took nothing but the clothes on their backs and headed toward freedom - the promised land of the north.
During the civil rights period, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the greatest movement in America for racial equality. He was both the prophet holding up the trumpet to his mouth and the drum player beating the rhythms of God - awakening political leaders like President John F. Kennedy - to join the march for freedom. The drum beat was heard by many Americans. On August 28, 1963, hundreds of thousands of ordinary Americans from all walks of life, their faces illuminating a mosaic reflection of all shades and hues of colors, responded and came out of their comfort zones to march before the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Heart to heart, head to head, and hand to hand they marched on that notable day. These men and women were the true authors who wrote the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In the 21st century, African American historians continue to write new chapters in the history of civil rights.
The “I Have a Dream” speech given by Dr. King and its ideals took shape in the wombs of black churches across the south. When we speak about reformation and change, we cannot dismiss past factual evidence of how African American Christians were already changing the nation with the civil rights movement. It was the clarion call of “I Have a Dream” which moved millions of Americans out of the four walls of their churches. They were moved to action. People from all denominations invaded institutional territories for the task of reforming and changing the racial disparities governed by social and religious structures.
Week after week, African Americans listened to the passionate preaching of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. on why social justice was a priority of God. They became passionate. They became united. They became stirred to get things done. A spiritual consensus of the heavens cleared the path for the struggle of an oppressed people to articulate a long-awaited destiny - not something that was owed to them but a destiny which was their rightful inheritance.
People from different classes and backgrounds and cultures from all over America were equipped and trained by the leaders of the Civil Rights movement on how to approach the enemies of this movement with non-violent resistance. There was no time to retreat to the inertia of complacency or despair of impending failure. Sometimes the threats of the white supremacists all but dashed the hopes of the African American dream. It was the spirit of the dream that gave each person in the movement the fortitude and resilience to keep marching and to sing the theme song, “We Shall Overcome.”
It was the boldness and the spirit of a woman, named Rosa Parks, who rose up to say, “No, I will not go to the back of the bus.” Similar events of individual heroism occurred and made the headlines of newspapers. Then there were the unforgotten, silent heroes as well, determined to run the race for freedom. Soldiers for freedom, while marching all over the South, shook the corridors of local governments, and the aftershocks were felt on Capitol Hill.
On November 4, 2008, we elected our first African American president, Barack Obama. The dream and prophecy of Dr. Martin Luther King came to pass. It is a moment that many African Americans lived to see. It is a moment when our children said, “Martin Luther King Jr. walked, Barack Obama ran, but now, we, the younger generation, can fly.” African Americans are walking history books for the world to see and admire. Our history as a people will stay alive only through our celebration of it.