Job Maseko barely made it to the docks when the ship exploded behind him. He’d used a milk can to build a bomb! Other Black war prisoners of war whooped and hollered. Now they could all escape.
But there was something that Maseko wasn’t able to escape.
White foolishness. Maseko was a South African hero – but he was about to be treated like a zero.
He was already getting the short end of the stick. Instead of being given property like white soldiers who didn’t do nearly what he did, he - along with other Black soldiers - was given bicycles, boots, and clothing.
The final insult?
White leaders plotted to completely erase his actions from history! They wanted to write his story out of history to keep Black children ignorant of Maseko’s bravery. "While there's no doubt that he did what he did,” they said, “Nobody actually saw him do it.”
Still, the people know the truth because they passed down stories. Maseko’s story survived.
No matter where we live, white supremacy will go to great lengths to control our narratives and erase us from history. We must continue to tell our stories, as this is what ensures ACCURATE history is passed down to future generations.