When the Hurdles are Great, Become Great Hurdlers. Lessons Learned from Black History Month.

Bishop Julius C. Trimble is the Resident Bishop of the Indiana Area of the United Mehtodist Church.

Bishop Trimble has the personal mission to encourage all people with the love of Jesus Christ to rise to their highest potential. It is his commitment to his personal mission that led Bishop Trimble to create the “To Be Encouraged” Podcast along with co-host Rev.Dr. Brad MIller.

Bishop Trimble says, “I am compelled by Jesus to share with you an encouraging word or two about Jesus, theology, the bible, the pandemic, the environment, racism, voting rights, human sexuality and state of the United Methodist Church.”

To Be Encouraged with Bishop Julius C. Trimble is to be published weekly and is available at www.tobeencouraged.com and all the podcast directories.

https://www.inumc.org/bishop/office-of-the-bishop/

Hello people welcome to be in courageous with

Bishop Julius C tremble. This is the podcast where we hope to

speak an encouraging word word into a discouraged world. And

one of the many things that we have to deal with and Bishop you

have said on many occasions, we'll be prepared to launch this

podcast and gotta go now for a few weeks, is you really want to

address pertinent issues that are happening in our world. And

here it is February of 2022. And it is Black History Month. And I

know that we wouldn't have a conversation today about Black

History Month about the relevance of that today. And

there's particular some things we can talk about, in light of

some things happening in our world, I know that we have a

potential, and in our country, a new Supreme Court justice being

nominated and things like that. But first of all, Bishop just

talk just a bit about your feelings, your thoughts, your

observations about the importance and the place and the

purpose of Black History Month.

I think Black History Month is

critically important, because it's important to be able to

really appreciate and understand the diversity and contributions

of so many people, so many cultures, so many racial ethnic

groups that have contributed to making this country a great,

great place and, and also contributions across the globe.

I can recall going through school early on and not really

hearing much about black history. It started because of

Carter G. Woodson, who didn't have an opportunity to attend

school until high school until he was 20 years old. So he

started high school at age 20, the grandson of us of slaves,

Carter G. Woodson, ended up completing getting a PhD from

Harvard University. But he first introduced what was called Negro

History Week. And of course, Negro History Week later became

black history month. And its its purpose was really to add to

enhance the understanding of the historical contributions of

black citizens. In in, in America, in the United States of

America in particular, because so much of that was kind of left

out of the, of the, the educational opportunities for

those persons who were attending school, I had a course in high

school and African American history. And I just had bits and

pieces actually up until I was in high school, where I heard

about famous black contributors like George Washington Carver,

and persons like that Booker T, Washington, but there was a

there's been a lot of contributions throughout the

history of this country. And I think until we really appreciate

all of all history from all people, that we can't really

appreciate how much we've all contributed to what we call

American society.

That's a good background for us here as well.

And I think it highlights something that I've been

thinking about a little bit here as United talk about this. You

and I are about the same age. And it seemed to me that in the

educational system, at least when I was growing up that black

history entailed just a mention of three or four primary names,

Christmas addicts, Booker T. Washington, George Washington

Carver, that's about it, as far as I recall, in terms of growing

up, and then but there that meant there was a huge void, at

least I've learned since then. But other contributors other

people in our history who have made such a such an impact, and

I'd like you to speak for a minute about in your studies or

in your life about any figures, any folks. Black folks from

history or even contemporary folks who have had a real impact

on you and your life and ministry and your your

viewpoints.

Well, my grandfather, Julius Pryor senior

was a charter member of the NAACP in Montgomery, Alabama. I

didn't know that till I was well into my middle aged years. And

so he was he was there when they laid the groundwork for the

Montgomery bus boycott. Oh my God. He doesn't appear any any

of the history books I read, but actually, we were in in in

Alabama for a family reunion and we went to the new civil rights

Murray, the Rosa Parks Civil Rights Museum and they had a

video piece and as we're watching the video I said hey,

that's that's Papa prior our grandfather on this on this

video.

To see the goodness Yeah, so there

are literally people all all

throughout society. When you think about every genre of

society and culture, whether it's music, you know, Wes

Montgomery, who's from the a jazz musician was from Indiana.

Indianapolis. You know, he thinks sports Oscar Robertson,

from from Indiana. We think about architecture. When you

think about music, when you think about, say the sciences,

they're just a host of persons, too often we associate

particularly in contemporary society, black, black wealth

with with entertainment. But we need not forget that even in

recent years, you know, Barack Obama, who had who I'm often

reminded is truly an African American, because his father was

an African and his, his mother was from Kansas, I believe. And

our current vice president, Kamala Harris, who is African,

African and Asian, in her background, these are

significant persons that that people should know about,

obviously, know about, learn about. But even if you go back

to trailblazers, who are trying to literally change the society

and help America really live up to the words of the

Constitution, people like Fannie Lou Hamer, who organized voter

voters in Mississippi, even to the threat of her life, and

people like Ida B. Wells, who continually lobbied the

president to do something about lynching, in fact, said, If we

really want to live up to the Constitution, increase

enfranchisement make black citizens truly equal citizens.

And and then that would do away with her belief was that with

that would end the long legacy of lynching in America because

African Americans were not considered to be full citizens.

That was part of what was behind I think, Prodigy Woodson's

notion that black people were learning actually, not to that

they had not contributed anything. And white people were

learning that black people were just really manifestations of

stereotypes, that really were problem problems and, and drags

on society. And so this was in part to break the break, break

the chain of the stereotypes, but also to give credit where

credit was often not given.

And I think it's fascinating if you dig just a

little deeper, rather than what we see on the surface, you can

find some fascinating influences and impact as you mentioned,

your music and so on and so forth. And you and your own

family, I just find that fascinating. She saw your own

relative involved with bigotry, boycotts, and so on. But we are

both based in Indianapolis Indiana area and there's a write

down in Annapolis there's a place called the madam Walker

Theatre, which is based on a on a black business woman from I

think around 100 years ago, when she was active and active,

Madam CJ Walker, Walker, first self made

millionaire woman black millionaire. Yeah. And yeah,

they did, I think a Netflix series about about her about her

life a couple of years ago as well.

But that's an incredible accomplishment. And

we have something called a major Taylor velodrome, which is about

a bicycle. From around 100 years ago, a cyclist who was a world

champion, he had to go to Europe or France and do in order to

live out because he was so much prejudice here. But now there's

this velodrome but bicycle racing track here in

Indianapolis. But at this, I guess the point is we if we pay

attention, we can see the influence here. But a lot of

people are a little bit intimidated by that. A little

scared of that. Don't you think that there's a sense of

stability, some people kind of want to push back on Black

History Month or this type of thing? Why do you think that is?

Why do you think some folks want to push back on the significance

of this?

I think there's this notion that when we

learn more about people who have historically been excluded, we

do that at the detriment of our own contributions, which is not

really true. It's like Brad, you know, when, when when people

first heard heard the chance, black lives matter, you know,

and I'm speaking as a black person, I immediately felt like,

you know, a part of me saying, Oh, I know that my life matters.

And the first thing you heard was, well, all lives matter,

which is obviously true. That's an argument that it's hard to

win. But the point is, black lives had not been treated as

though they matter when people there when they were there was

this whole series of consistently shootings and and

unfortunate incidents, with with with with blacks and police. And

so the chat really was this needs, needs attention to it.

Some argue now and part of the discourse that's going on in our

current society is around people what people consider critical

race theory. People are shying away from it. Any conversation

that seems to highlight the significant experience as well

as contributions of black people, African Americans, and

part of that I think will be to the detriment of our whole

society. I've always said this, that if Ruby Bridges or, or any

of the, even today, if someone can, if a 10 year old black girl

can go to a school in Indiana, or Ohio, or Texas, and

experience in real time, racism and prejudice, than a 10 year

old white student should be able to learn about the history and

an appropriate way for a 10 year old. To learn about the history

that is later than that, the history of bigotry and racism

and prejudice, you know, we shouldn't be teaching Miss

misinformed histories about Native Americans. When there is

a, we now have historical records of Native Americans. And

a lot of that would include those of us who live in Indiana

for certain,

absolutely. I'm also intrigued and interested in

how when some people push back against Black History Month

about not being people being exposed to things like critical

critical race theory and educational things about this,

how it also goes into other aspects of life. I noticed just

in the news here recently, but there was some, a few school

systems that were banning books that had to do with the

Holocaust, about teaching the Holocaust, that certain that

goes directly to anti semitism. And then we've had a real big

movement about anti Asian or Asian hatred for Asian folks

regarding as well. So the lessons we're learning here, as

we lift up black history, not only applied to black folks,

they apply to any others who are considered to be other, you

know, by, by the by white folks, basically. So what do you think

are some of the lessons we could learn that can be then be

applied to our society and to our church and to our schools

right now?

I think the the, the biblical notion

that the truth will set you free, is really true. And we've

we've been sheltered from truth about history, particularly

peoples of color, in this country for way too long. And I

often understood that I come from a family of teachers and

educators, that that part of part of the role of education is

really to, to move us from our comfort level of ignorance. So

so if we, if we are not willing to be made, at least

uncomfortable enough, in order for us to pull back the veil of

ignorance and that we things that we simply don't know, then

how are we really experiencing education in America, I think

there can be an appreciation for both the victories and

celebrations and accomplishment accomplishments that all people

have made, at the same time, dealing with the the ugly

chapters of history, and the end the horrific things that

sometimes people humans have done to other humans. So I don't

think we do our do ourselves a favor at all, by not teaching

history, in a way in which it embraces the good, the bad and

the ugly.

Yes. You're a bishop in the United Methodist

Church. I'm a pastor in the United Methodist Church. We're

both Christians, both part of the faith community. How do you

think kind of lifting up and being aware of black heroes,

black people of faith, black people in history, even the

biblical record about this here? How does that inform how what

are some scriptures? What are some ways this informs our faith

and how we do church?

Well, the Bible says we are surrounded by

a great cloud of cloud of witnesses. I like to think that

that cloud of witnesses is a multicultural cloud. It's a

multi, multi coloured cloud of witnesses. And I think we have

been, maybe maybe our minds have been altered a bit because we

seared into our seat into the pictures that we conjure up our

Charlton Heston and Elizabeth Taylor and people who played

played biblical roles and, and those pictures may be seared

into our head. It's your Brynner seared in our heads, when we

ought to realize that the people of the Bible often were people

of color The people of the Bible often it was not about, you

know, the candidates racial stratification and racial

classification is, as many would argue, is a construct, you know,

we've constructed that you know, that the color of one's skin has

something to do with the value of one's contribution. I think

as we read, as I read the Bible Bible, I'm thinking of this is

God's expression through a whole host of people's people and

people's God's expression for us to really embrace what it is to

be sister and brothers, part of the human family.

And you mentioned about the great cloud of

witnesses and who are part of informing that but there's

certainly is a lot in the Bible that can help inform us about,

about teaching and learning about not being intimidated by

the other, you know, by those who might consider to be

different than us. Certainly Jesus did that lifting up, the

Samaritan and so on, that we we can do. did want to ask you, you

know, before we, because I just think it's pertinent to our

conversation here, as we are in the middle of February, as this

is will be released, that I just want to get your comments about

with retirement of one of our Chief Justices from our Supreme

Court, Brier, President Biden has said, and by the time we

hear this, there may well be a nomination of a black woman to

be on the Supreme Court. And I just can't think that's going to

be a really significant moment, when that happens, and his

flight to get your take on that the implications of that. The

power of that or how that will can maybe shift. How we look at

our country a little bit. Just your thoughts about that?

I think it I think it's a it's a

opportunity for us to celebrate as Americans, that diversity of

contributions that the diversity of talent that's in our country,

including those of African American women, there's no

shortage, as I'm not an expert, I have a niece who's a lawyer,

she's, she's a young lawyer. So she's probably a bit far off

before she'd be considered for that role. But I think it's

gonna be a tremendous win witness to to the rich diversity

and contribution of black Americans, in this case, African

American women. President Biden is already getting pushed back.

I think this is a lot of the, the the overstating of the

importance of race, or saying, you know, he's out of line for

saying, I'm going to nominate a black woman. Well, past

presidents have said they were going to nominate, you know,

someone who had a diversity of experience or nominated, that

next person is President Obama said, or nominate a woman to the

court and the first woman was, so these things were said by

previous presidents, or it's a president said, I'm going to

nominate someone who's, who's, who has a history of

conservatism and so forth. So I celebrate the fact that we have

an African American woman nominee, nobody's going to

question her qualifications, because we know that's all been

vetted. You can't get nominated, unless you're already more

probably more than qualified for the job. So it makes for a

richer, Supreme Court when we have a diverse supreme corporate

court. It's not been that many years ago, when if you looked at

a picture, I have an old set of encyclopedias. If you look at

the picture, look up Supreme Court. And what you'll see is,

it's all all white men with the exception of Thurgood Marshall

when he was appointed. So what does that all mean? Oh man and

one black man, Thurgood Marshall, being the first black

person to be nominated to the Supreme Court.

I think it's so easy as the opportunity we have

to have the richness of diversity in that area of the

judicial system. But we see it and we need it even you know, in

other areas of life education, in academics, and business, in

health care systems, and even in the mission and ministry of the

church. But I think a lot of this has to do with helping

bridge the gap of understanding between black folks and white

folks who are people of color and this area of the Black

History Month does come into play here and that and what I

want to ask you about is this for those white folks who say

something to the fact that I just don't get it I don't get

what the importance of Black History Month is, you know, we

need Just History Month or history or whatever it would be,

what do you think people of color can share? Or be in

conversation about they can maybe help influence folks about

this without a threatening way? Because sometimes people get

withdrawn when they feel threatened. How do you think

black folks or people of color can speak to white folks about

this issue?

Right. And most folks, most folks

really kind of look back at a chronology of at least American

history as being a country of immigrants. And we kind of we're

not for Black History Week that became black history month,

people would forget that everybody who came to help shape

and start and and the the backs where America was this, this

great country was built upon. We're not all immigrants, some

of them were were slaves that were brought here on slave

ships. And I think one of the thing I would say is that, you

know, we are all better off when we have a broader, broader

breadth of the contributions of black Americans, and African

African Americans, to this great country that we love, there's

no, there's no reason to say we should have all history. If we

are not going to take the effort to make sure that we really

share and teach all history, I think it's an opportunity to

celebrate the great contributions of African

Americans, who for hundreds of years, were laboring, without

compensation, to help build the economic infrastructure, not

just for the South, but for what later became the ever growing

economy and Democracy in America. People may not fully

understand it. But I think everybody could benefit and

learn during Black History Month, because it's a, it's an

it's an, it's an invitation to pay attention to contributions.

We should do the same for other other groups as well, as Native

Americans, we should do the same, we should do the same for

other cultural groups that have made contributions. And American

history is certainly full of contributions of persons from

Europe and other places as well. But too often, we have neglected

people say we should just teach them teach history, we've

neglected to teach the full breadth of history. And I think

this is an opportunity for us to make sure that some of those

deficit areas we pay attention to,

yes, what I'm hearing you say is let's look

for areas of commonality and, and unite experience where there

then areas of differences and diversion. Let's talk about

inclusion in best that we can. And I want to wrap up our

conversation here today. Bishop A, the name of our podcast of

your podcast is to be encouraged. So always like to

conclude our conversations here with what's your encouraging

word for the day? What is your COURAGING word about black

history month? Or about some of the topics we've had

conversation about here today? What's your word?

My encouraging word is that never

say something is impossible, because what may seem impossible

with man is possible with God. Every time one of the things

Black History Month teaches is that even every time throughout

of his shift throughout history, when hurdles were placed in

front of those who were descendants of African slaves,

whenever they were hurdles and obstacles placed in front of

blacks. We became world class hurdlers. So, you know, when we

couldn't, we couldn't they wouldn't teach us how to read.

We became great scholars and educators. When we couldn't get

into medical school, we became great doctors and innovators. So

one of the things this is a lesson for everyone, when there

are hurdles put in front of you. Often God will help make you a

world class hurdler where you can accomplish that. So when I

think about the youngest poet, the Inaugural Poet ever in

recorded history, Amanda Gorman, young, black African, a gifted

poet who'd been you know, been a gifted since he was 1010 1112

years old. And so we can all celebrate that that's just a

feel good story about an American, a young American,

African American woman who was just a great contributor. And it

reminds us of the text where it says, you know, do not say that,

that did not let them say despise your youth, that you

indeed can be an instrument of God. All of us can be

instruments of God and I I want to say to our listeners today,

you know, we ought to take time to thank God for life. And thank

God for the contributions of people who are descendants of

African slaves. Thank god of contributions of people that we

maybe we heard about. But take a moment to maybe do some research

or even better have a conversation with someone who's

different than you. Have a conversation with someone who's

not of your same tribe, your same cultural group or your same

race or ethnic circle.

What a great way for us to enter conversation. I

just love that phrase you just said about you know, if you

placed a hurdle in front of you become a world class hurdler.

That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, thank you for sharing

today a good word about hurtling the obstacles and about other

things here that we have that we've had to talk about. Thank

you for being our guest today for being here on your podcast

Bishop. Remember be encouraged podcast you can find it to be

encouraged.com Thank you, Bishop.