Recommendation of Memorials in America for African Americans and Native Americans

The true story of our past and how to help heal racism; Image by Freepik

There is still racism in America. As a 38-year-old, I grew up in a generation that believed in racial equality. It is confusing to a lot of us why it still exists in our country amongst some people. 

I am a researcher, and discovered that desegregation only happened in 1964 with the Civil Rights Act, and desegregation in schools only happened in 1954 with the Brown v. Board of Education, when both practices were found unconstitutional. 

That means a lot of our parents were just getting used to this idea of everybody being homo sapiens, humans, people with emotionality and intelligence. 

I grew up in the MTV generation. There were people of all different races on television. There were hip hop artists. There was The Real World with different races, “intending to create a microcosm of society where diverse individuals interact, challenge stereotypes, and address racial issues, though often controversially.” 

I also had African American friends in South Dakota, surprisingly, given how few there are. Eventually I moved to the East Coast for University, so I was very open to all different races, as they were all my friends.

Image by Freepik

I wonder why some people are still on the old railroad of racism, and not on the rainbow railroad of futurism and diversity.
Where we are all One. Loving. Kind.

Like the Hippie Generation of the 1960s and 1970s. 

What happened? 

I have been to Germany, and they have a massive Holocaust Memorial. 

The Holocaust Memorial in Germany Image by Freepik

I have been wondering, should we have memorials? Would that be helpful?

For instance, should we have a memorial in the South that explains to people and children about the awfulness and barbaric practice of slavery? 

Do they exist? Do we need more? 

There also should be memorials for Native Americans who experienced genocide. 

I am from Rapid City, South Dakota. It is the land of the Lakota People. I had many Lakota friends growing up. I read many books. I learned a lot about the culture and history. I led a Native American Heritage Month event while at University. I am very well-educated about what happened. I have tons of compassion for them and what happened.

However, I know that there is massive racism against these extremely sacred indigenous people in Rapid City. It is very sad.

Should there be a memorial? Would that help educate people so they can be more compassionate? 

Do these memorials need to be simple? A 15-minute video at the beginning of your tour would be beneficial. People’s attention rates are not very high, and they might get bored in a museum, so a video at the beginning would be helpful. 

I went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC, and you take on a card of a real person who died in the genocide. You take a tour as that person and learn about what happened. You put yourself “in the other person’s shoes.” That is another creative idea to get people’s hearts to open. 

What are your ideas, thoughts, questions? 

Do you believe this could help our country heal? Is racism actually about miseducation about the brutality of our past? Do we need to face our evilness and cry and find compassion? 

Image by Freepik

As a spiritual person, I know our souls suffer when we are racist, sexist, nationalistic, bigoted, etc. It is against love. You descend in frequency. You will not be permitted into The Kingdom of Heaven. 

When I was in Israel, the souls of some people seemed dead. I was used to living in Jordan where people were extremely generous and kind. In Israel, the souls of people seemed to be suffering.

Can there be a diplomatic solution in Israel and Palestine rather than an evil genocide of the Jewish-European Israelis against the Christian and Muslim indigenous Abrahamic Faith people of Palestine?

That would help souls heal. Jewish people will not be allowed into The Kingdom of Heaven until there is love for their neighbor, brother, sister, and Abrahamic family that crossed the Red Sea Together to the Promised Land.

You can read more about my solutions to the conflict here: 

A Neutral Solution for the Situation in Palestine and Israel

Spiritual Reflections on the Situation in Palestine and Israel

The Abrahamic Faith: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Unified

The Multiethnic Twelve Tribes of Israel 

America is actually Brown, not White (or just Black); An Update on the Rachel Dolezal Controversy

Therefore, I also believe the souls in America are suffering. 

Is it because of not enough education about our evil past; not acknowledging that what we did was unkind, unjust, and unloving? It is a sensitive subject for sure. 

However, eventually, we need to own up to what we did to African Americans and to Indigenous Native Americans. I believe memorials could be a good way to do that. 

Germany seems to be doing quite well. Perhaps it’s because they created a proper memorial for their citizens to learn from and remember what they did. 

Is it time for Americans to do the same? Does anybody have a friend you can forward this message on to who can help with this project? 

With Gratitude, 

Ashley Heacock, Researcher, Writer, Mentor, Guide 
MIT Sloan School of Management, MBA
Harvard Kennedy School of Government, MPA
The George Washington University, BA Economics, BA International Affairs
Contact: ashleyheacock@gmail.com
Website: awakeningconsciousness.community