Sister Circle

Sister Circle

Dear Harriet Tubman,

You don't know me. Still, you are in my sister circle. You are just like one of my pals. I don't have many friends. I haven't met many people who have good friendship qualities; but, even while you don't know me, and I've never met you, you are in my sister circle.

Do you know what a sister circle is? It's a group of Black women who are part of a bond of love, and mutual respect, and friendship - a group of Black women who share a common plight. They each support each other against their common plight. They are each heroes to one and other. And all of that is what you are to me and many other Black women who know of you. You are, even while not present with us today, a part of our sister circle.

Even while you do not have as much in common with women who are not Black, you, still, have a lot in common with them. I'm sure many of them admire you as well. You are a positive image for them also in that we are all women and will always be united by our common experiences and plights. We will be different in many ways, but in so many other ways, the same. We all have enough in common to need each other. And our limitations as women, in many ways, makes us even more dependent on our unity than men. The strength and force of the male body gives them a power that we cannot match except with our numbers and unity.

Concerning the greater body of women, your strength and courageous acts teaches us all about our potential, and encourages us to be strong and courageous. And, for us all, you have produced a very positive image of women that lets the world see and know our potential.

In your grave, you do not know all of the people who know your name. I wonder if you knew that you would ever be so famous. I'm sure it never crossed your mind to seek any honor in your heroic acts. All that mattered to you was the well-being of the people you rescued.

Did you know that your name and story would be in history books, part of American history? Did you know that, after all the time and energy that America put into keeping people like us down, you would go down in history as an American hero, filling millions of books with your name and story? You are world renowned for your acts and story. Your life and history are recorded for the world to see. Do you see that the difference you made is even beyond what you intended?

Your story has not only taught us the equality of Blacks but has promoted racial bonding between Blacks and non-Blacks across a country that once enslaved, and abused Blacks. You are among our greatest African American heroes; and, well, you are among the greatest American heroes of any race. You are an American hero.

You have made your mark on the world like many others. Your name is up there with Martin Luther King, Joan of Arc, Mother Teressa, Malcolm X, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Anne Frank. And there are many heroes whose names are known, and many heroes whose names are unknown. And you are right up there with them all.

No matter how long of a letter I write, it will never fully express your worth and value. I, like so many others, appreciate all that you have done. Thanks for your noble service!

THE END