Jackson, the typical black last name.
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Posted By: Tamisha Jackson on July 03, 2006 Jackson. I have always said I have the greatest last name, firstly, because it is the same last name of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, but I took self ownership years ago when my name became part of my profession. "Jackson for President" is quite easy to remember, short, concise and sticks to the brain. Furthermore, it has been used before, remember President Andrew Jackson? I have a large gold imitation Hollywood Walk of Fame star I received with an award in my bedroom. The star exclusively says Tamisha Jackson. I look at it everyday and just want to kiss it. People ask me for my last name and I simply say its "the best last name." Some people actually get it right off the break. "Jackson," they would guess. I smile and keep going. I have the quintessential last name for a black person. It goes in the common category alongside Johnson, Williams, Watkins and Jones; however, there is something about Jackson that keeps me jovial. Simply writing my name on a mere sheet of paper brings a sense of pride, strength, and wisdom among my pen which writes out my name in firmness and stability. Jackson. I have always loved my last name. No one can separate me from it and I will keep this name even in marriage. In my early elementary years I had a boyfriend named Christopher Jackson and always dreamed of marrying him. The kids in my 3rd grade class would say "yall gonna kiss and get married, that way you can keep your last name." But when I found out my 5th grade year that he moved to Ohio my my dreams of finding that perfect boy with the perfect last name went out the door with him, completely crushing my little 9 year-old heart. Jackson. In slavery times to keep documentation of their "property" much like cattle, the master would name their slaves. Master would either give their "property" their last name or create one for them. If the master name was John then the enslaved was Johnson: the son of John. When you hear Jackson, you automatically think of a black person, because "it just sounds black," right? But what about the white people with "black" last names? In my understanding if a white person has a "black name" their family were either a) slave owners or b) they have a little chocolate in their milk some centuries back. But let me not get into that. The only sad part is that black folks can only go back a little over a hundred years because they didnt keep documentation. They couldnt write and most of them relocated, so black families can only trace back about five generations. I wish my family was documented in the 1400, 1500s, 1600s, 1700s, but I will settle with the 1800s. Jackson. As I mature and learn more about my history, I take ownership to my ideals, expectations and truths. Honestly, I do not know my real last name; however, I do know that my ancestors were well-built black men and women. My Jackson family hails from Virginia-perfect, the south, slave state and all. Slave state, yes. Slave blood, yes. My blood line runs thick of leaders, athletes, teachers, mothers, nannies, carpenters, slaves. My blood line runs thick of amazing and courageous black people who unfortunately were not as educated as their white slave masters or counterparts. My blood lines run thick of some strong black people, working daily in the field or kitchen, feet of bruises, brown of skin, race and riots, roar in voice, and most importantly enthralling black people. Jackson is my fathers last name. Jackson is his mothers last name. Jackson is her mothers last name and Jackson is her mothers last name. My family wasnt a marrying family, however, the last name Brown traces back to marriage. You how names change once you get married? But I wont go that far back, it is about Jackson. Tamisha Jackson. As I write letter by letter, I am writing more than my name, I am writing my history. My pen mark is my blood line. Jackson. I would not change my last name for the world. Hello hyphen! T.Jack over and out ~peace~ If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Tamisha Jackson
Program Coordinator of Student Success Program, Towson University Bowie State University class of 2009 Member Since July 2006 |
Comments
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Great to see confience Sis, never lose that. Heb 10:35, only the world will try to take that from You, but never God.
Thursday, July 6th 2006 at 1:40AM |
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Reading your writings / blogs gets me excited. The way you feel about your last name is how I feel about my maiden name, Fields. That last name has history in itself and my entire family takes pride in our name, but we also know a lot about what tribe we came from, what part of Africa our ancestors came from what plantation they worked and so on. I am glad to see young adults that are proud of their people and not ashamed to express it, and take pride in knowing the little bit history we can get our hands on. Pray much success continues to come your way as lead young people to a wiser way. God bless
Monday, July 17th 2006 at 3:49PM |
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