As A Couple They Used Faith To Push Back Against Anti-Blackness

photo of esau jenkins
L. Graciella Maiolatesi
September 18, 2022

Esau and Janie Jenkins weren’t afraid of going toe to toe with white supremacy - they knew something white supremacists didn’t.

The Jenkins’ believed God is the God of the oppressed! They embodied the biblical reference, “I am my brother’s keeper,” in everything they did. 

They never backed down in the face of oppression – they knew white supremacy was a form of cowardice, and God didn’t create us to be cowards.

Within their Johns Island community, the Jenkins’ established organizations, credit unions, bus services, motels, and public beaches for our people to thrive. A HUGE accomplishment was establishing a “Citizenship School.”

Racial discrimination weaponized education, targeting illiterate Black people by intimidating them with written legal jargon, big words, and often using literacy tests to determine if one was a citizen capable of voting. The school inspired multiple citizenship, literacy, and comprehensive health care programs throughout the South.

The Jenkins’ understood hardships are part of life, but didn’t allow moments meant to test them shake their faith.

As a community, we’ve been tested repeatedly throughout COVID, and it’s likely we’ll be tested more. Like the Jenkins’ let’s pour into establishing businesses and communities that are fighting for Black liberation, and have faith that we’ll overcome any hardships sent our way.

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