They locked arms and pressed their eyes tightly shut. The group marched slowly into the water, their spirits chained together, chanting songs of their homeland before slowly disappearing into the marshy waters.
When the captive Africans of Igbo Landing drowned in Georgia’s Dunbar Creek, it was an act of resistance and refusal to live a life bound to enslavement. And they weren’t the only ones.
Logbooks from the 1600s Hannibal ship recorded those who starved to death or jumped overboard, many believing that they’d return home to their own countries and loved ones again in the afterlife.
Today, suicide rates for our people, especially children, and men, are rising, as we’re still living under the thumb of anti-Blackness daily. It’s mentally, physically, and spiritually taxing, leaving many folks wanting to escape these conditions.
Fortunately, we have access to mental healthcare that didn’t exist for those who came before us. We should all be aware of the signs of suicide and take advantage of resources to care for ourselves and our loved ones as best as possible.
Fortunately, we have access to mental healthcare that didn’t exist for those who came before us. We should all be aware of the signs of suicide and take advantage of resources to care for ourselves and our loved ones as best as possible.