The Physical Impossibility of Pain Black Americans Experience in the Mind of a White Person

Actively Hearing Black American Voices

By Danielle Young Published 4 years ago • 4 min read

"The Man Who Taught Me About William Brown"

I think back to art history class and learning about the controversial artist, Damien Hirst. During this protest, one of Hirst's famous compositions came to mind: "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living." I believe people should interpret artwork in their own way, and to me, this art piece meant knowing the experience of death because we're still alive. We have no concept of what it's like being dead. No idea about the afterlife, if we are a spirit, if we still have thoughts. During this protest, I had another profound moment, much like when I first saw Hirst's shark. How I will never feel the pain, Black Americans experience.

"The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living"

When I arrived at the protest, I saw a woman. Or I should rather say I heard a woman. The woman, who I believed organized the protest, had brought a megaphone. She spoke to the crowd through the bullhorn and explained that she had purchased it from Amazon so we can hear the black voices of our community. "This megaphone is only for black voices. You can come up and share anything you'd like. We want to hear your voices". I was looking forward to hearing black voices and learning more, however, mainstream media showed up.

I personally dislike mainstream media photographers and reporters. I view them as soulless vultures that feast off people's misery for-profit and genuinely don't care about the people just as long as they can get the perfect shot. At the other protest, photographers had been getting into protesters' faces to get "the perfect shot" so they can sell the photos or gain clout. One cameraman had even gone as far as to step in front of me while I was taking pictures. When I confronted him, he simply shrugged his shoulders and went back to recording. It made me happy when the megaphone lady (as seen above) had told this TV reporter to fuck off. When she had asked him what his views on the BLM moment were, he said, and I quote, "I work for the media, and I am not allowed to have an opinion and have to stay neutral." She then promptly banished him to the outskirts of the protest, which could be relatable to being in "Facebook Jail." I was happy now because the media vultures wouldn't be quite literally perching on protesters to get the perfect shot.

This passionate man in purple heart-shaped glasses (as pictured above) vocalized his thoughts, feelings, and experiences. At some times, he yelled so loud, his voice cracked. He informed us of Will Brown, a Black American man accused of rape and had been lynched 100 years ago in the same spot that we were now occupying. I got the shivers when he told Will's story in the first person. He shouted how he was dragged from his home by a mob, and they tore the clothes from his body as they dragged him to the courthouse. They lynched him on the courthouse steps, then tied him to a car and dragged his body through the streets. Afterward, the rope used to lynch Will Brown was sold to the highest bidder. The highest bidder displayed the rope in their trophy cases like a prize. This was the Omaha Race Riot of 1919. Will Brown was accused of a crime, and the mob was his judge, jury, and executioner.

Danielle Young's "He's Only a Year Young Than Me"

James Scurlock, a young Black American man, was shot and killed May 30th, 2020. The man who killed him? Jake Gardner. James Scurlock had been out that night at the BLM protest. Jake Gardner had been outside that night in front of the bar he owned. He was out there with a concealed weapon that he had an expired permit for. Do you know where I'm going with this? Jake Gardner was released with no charges. Nothing. Not even manslaughter, concealed carry permit violation, or for firing gunshots within the Omaha city limits. The man pictured above emotionally told us how James Scurlock was only a year younger than him and how that could've been him that night. He described that this is what Black Americans face every day.

Another young black gentleman stepped up to speak. When he spoke, he was a force from the start and a powerful speaker. He talked about the pain that Black Americans face every day. He talked about when the protesting in Omaha had started that he attended. He spoke about how his white friends on Facebook began to message him asking questions and what they can do to help. He answered their questions and responded to them. He told us that he was tired of answering these questions and giving the white people in the crowd, the responsibility to start educating other white people and stand up against the inequalities and racism that Black Americans are facing. He then when on to make a valid point about the protesting. He said after this protest, the BLM protest and movements would dwindle significantly, and to Black American's it's not just a fad movement; it's their life. He then asked everybody to keep fighting to promote BLM and not just treat this as a fad movement.

This motivated me to become a photojournalist. To bring light to the foul and injustices of this world. To spread the words and experiences and to enlighten the world of its troubles. That day. On June 2nd, 2020, I learned that I will never experience the pain, ostracization, police brutality, and profiling that Black American's experience. None of the pain and hurt in my life will ever come close ...