It’s interesting that your brought up Bill Cosby. He’s a prime example of what happens when the demonization overrides the good deeds, of which he has many, in spite of the atrocities he committed against women, which is also many. Great and terrible at the same time.

But guess what? This country, which has historically demonized Black men to the point that White Americans fear them on the most ridiculous levels JUST because of the color of their skin, has no concern about telling the WHOLE truth about Black people. In fact, even if a Black person as a completely stellar reputation, the minute they step out of line, the narrative changes and that becomes their legacy in this country.

So essentially what you are saying is that it’s not right to speak on the truth of what these men did as enslavers, abusers, and rapists while they simultaneously preached equality and freedom for people who looked like them because it will taint their legacies. But in the case of a Bill Cosby while you say it wouldn’t be fair to portray him that way, isn’t that what America has already done to him anyway?

A young person who heard of him now would only know him as a sexual predator and likely wouldn’t know more about his legacy unless they took the time to search for it. If you google him now, you see sexual assault before you see anything else. But no one fights to have that truth omitted.

But these men, who were just men, and who wrote documents that clearly were aimed to only protect the White population (as it’s virtually impossible to consider Black people as worthy of freedom when you OWN them as property) should be shielded from having their entire stories told? There’s no argument in the world that will ever make me agree with that kind of thought process.

People are capable of reading things and forming their own decisions. I maintain that it is very dangerous to pick and choose historical content to protect the reputations of those considered “great.” Greatness is subjective.

I can understand why White people feel so connected to these figures but as a Black person, I am incapable of only seeing a portion of their deeds. Our communities have long craved the truth about this country and all take great measures to educate our children and Black youth on the entire story since we know the schools will not be honest.

They will glorify these men and allow only one or two Black figures a footnote in history (MLK and Rosa Parks typically). Black children would have little to look up to in terms of heroes if they only got information in school. But thankfully there are many other avenues of learning and activists (myself included) who enjoy taking the time to ensure our youth also have heroes that look like them and inspire greatness.

While I know you are speaking from a place that you are passionate about, we will definitely have to agree to disagree on this one. I don’t think this back and forth will make either of us see things differently and that’s okay. Healthy debate is always good and I appreciate you taking the time to engage.

But I think if you reread my article you will see that there was no villainizing of these men - only telling their own truths, both great and terrible.