History Repeats Its self in an Allegory

Let me tell you a little secret: when I was younger, I was basically OBSESSED with Harriet Tubman. She was my idol.

I spent years reading about her, researching her, learning all about her that I could. I grew up in a white racist town, went to a white racist church, which regrettably in some ways i was a member, before my eventual shunning. I had an amazing History teacher in fourth grade. She had this book that she placed in the tub in the reading bin. And i read it. I found the hardcopy at the library, the unabridged version-- and I read that too. Much to the chagrin of my adoptive family. The song Wade in the water? Code. They knew their alibis by who sang the song. It is like a Christian Ichthus through music. The community I grew up in was weird. I was rebuked for the love of her character, her purpose, the music, singing the song, the gospel music attempts, liking some Baptist hymns that the church wanted banned from the hymn books, for a lot of things. You know what else was banned? Harry Potter. If I so much as looked over the shoulder of a friend at school who read the series while they read it or associated with a Potter fan - Trouble was coming my way at home, and I had to not associate with that friend anymore. Punishment. I was intrigued. I loved books. I read whatever I could get my hands on. And got in trouble for it often. Reading during math class got me rebuked in school. I got lost in reading. I longed for information. I had a secret longing to read those books. THOSE books. The ones I'd probably receive a spanking and quite possibly several weeks of being grounded for instead of just 3 days and no food for 3 whole days instead of just a rotten banana like usual. But for some reason, I kept this longing and just waited for the chance to be free. Someday, I will read this series. They'll hate my guts, but I'll read it eventually. Eventually. It sounded wonderful. I heard little tidbits here and there. Something about the Potter guy and witches. Honestly, I befriended one once and my adoptive mother never forgave me for that one. I think that's why I waited so long to read the series. There are wiccans out there. Unfortunately not all kind. But ... A few years ago something changed.

A friend recommended the series to me as a way of reading something interesting to distract from my life long dealing with abuse, the court system and divorce trials and to have something to look forward to and be more positive, instead of irritated. I'd seen blippits from the film series when places had it on when waiting in line, or mentoring kids i used to teach, so I knew what the secret horrible series LOOKED like, but USUALLY the book series ends up being better than the movies, and I always wondered -- why is it so awful. Why? Always ask questions. Ask why. Teachers taught us if you wanted to learn, ask the questions. Ask the questions. Always ask the questions. WHY was it forbidden? Why was the good hero a bad thing to read about? I had bits and pieces but not the whole story. I got that people liked the idea of Harry, witches, brooms and the rest was a mystery. Was it witchcraft? Maybe. Magic = the trouble? But then maybe for that community. Some things don't change. I've also read a novel about the Salem witch trials. One thing occurred to me during that book too... the power of the accuser, and the lack of testimony, women being wrong. The culture I was in would agree with that. But this was a male witch. Something that intrigued me. it wasn't the same. As anything I'd read researched, or known so far.... or so I thought... back then.

The school system loved the series - the library did, teachers recommended it heartily as reading material - so why did my adoptive family and the church believe it was wrong immoral and sinful....?

Also... with asking questions, know WHY someone is wanted by authority or why they're calling them bad or hunting them down... for good reasons or wrong reasons? There are PLENTY of banned books by communist countries with lesson and moral implications as well as consequences of following communist rule written straight into them.

Which brings me back to my first point. Bear with me here.

My history teacher started off our first History class with the importance of not only History, but LEARNING the lessons from history we're supposed to -- without repeating the same mistakes throughout the lessons. History repeats its self. but if we learn the right lesson we can anticipate what to do the next time it does, and make it so the same mistakes and tragedies don't.

She also said there was a whole world of history out there, and we would learn about all of it -- in a hands - on advanced method she taught middle schools in other districts, that would make history come alive for us in ways we could touch, and we could be in those countries, cultures, and places without ever having to leave the classroom if we really wanted to.

So.... I dug into the series. I was falling in love with the story and with the character in it -- but something felt familiar. Harry Potter was very similar to a couple things - but so were other characters. He didn't know his birth parents. But... there was more. Something eventually connected a couple books in. He grew up in one environment where abuse thrived, he had a scar but didn't know the complete full origins of what caused him pain, and hurt. He had visions but couldn't explain why. He couldn't talk about them either. It was forbidden. At first I thought, well a lot of similarities between what that culture hates and what they ban. But I dug deeper into the script.

The Muggles. The obsession with worthiness being equivalent to blood, full blood, no mixing with other cultures, types, people, OR orphans. The half bloods not being welcome. But -- if you really dig deeper into the script, it's the villains and the evil sorcerers, wizards and witches, who were racist -- not JK ROWLING, NOT the Harry Potter franchise itself. What if I told you that Harry Potter AND Harriet Tubman were allegorically the same person?

Did you know that Harriet Tubman endured child abuse, and always having to go work somewhere where she wasn't seen - just like Harry? He hid in a cupboard, she was always sent to work somewhere else. She had the scar for life, so did he. Their identifying marks were the same. Harriet had a lot of medical issues, including anemia, and headaches, due to the pain from the scar - often increased from stress and bad situations. She got it through her former slave master, and her mother stepped in to save her. She would rather lose her child than come home from working the fields to find Harriet abused worse the owner and ruler at that time at the plantation when she wasn't around. So she sent little minty, or Harriet to live somewhere else - to not be beat in the head anymore by that man. She could have died or been killed if her mother hadn't stepped in to save her.

Harry Potter's mother did the same thing. Baby Harry endured a curse aimed at his head that left a terrible lifelong scar as well, and endured lifelong pain as well as questions about it whenever he was seen. The lifelong mark and source of pain, from child abuse and control of an evil slave master in power and command. Harry lived but could have died. The type of curse he cast COULD have killed him, but love and a good mother stopped it in time, before it could.

Harriet had visions. People also tried telling her these were false. No, you can never fully be free! Why leave the south to go north to freedom, having a living where you aren't a slave? Come on -- you're crazy! Life like that can't be! It doesn't exist!

Harriet Tubman also had 2 right hand friends who helped her accomplish her mission long term. Ammunition? we have you covered! Training -- go to this person. Take this letter with you - you won't have to speak a word. And hide the scar. Learn to be different than they expect. She was their Moses. The chosen one -- the one who would free them -- if only they would let her. Yeah, a few major problem difficulties. Like, yeah. major. Reading? well, she didn't. the headaches and scar -- MAJOR dead giveaway. she looked fine, for a negro but.... well... kind of hard to hide the skin tone. She'd need to free herself first, wouldn't she. And with what? Not a lick of protection and training. Just a dream, being obsessed with running away from home and leaving - but how to get there? The route? It would come in time. And she didn't know how to shoot a gun yet. Oh, Harriet. She'd need one of those. The Masters did. The bounty hunters, but not her. She was going to need major guidance. MAJOR. Nat Turner was the prior successor against the last fight she needed to model after.

Harry Potter and his friends had secret codes and passwords to enter certain rooms and clubs. Sound familiar?

Harry Potter also had a letter granting him access to many things that would help the "chosen one". Dumbledore and even Professor Snape at one point had to teach him to use his wand properly. The emotional triggers that caused things to happen, shatter, and weird things to happen at home that couldn't be explained? Talking with animals and mutually understanding snakes? Dumbledore was a teacher in times of need. Dumbledore had success over a dark lord and is the allegorical Nat Turner.

Another lesson in history: Know who your friends are.

Harry had Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley and a mentor to step in as a father figure, who was also wanted by the same people who were hunting him down. Sound familiar? He later provided his home as a secret hideout and training ground on the way to freedom while in hiding, before the final battle. Black. The animagus character in the series, who aided Harry and his friends with financial contributions, his home, mentorship and being welcome any time they liked. A criminal for doing the right thing and accused of doing wrong. Sirius Black was a serious badass. For good things. lending his motorbike to free Harry with Hagrid, and his house as a hideout, offering to mentor Harry, though he couldn't be a better father. Protecting him after getting out of prison. Providing a broom for him on his own cost--- he could ride AND fly in style. Who doesn't want protection from an ex inmate who knows how to get the bullies to leave people alone? I think another pun plays into the allegory here. He wasn't perfect by any means, but was serious about helping blacks, and black people. Did you know the real life character Sirius Black represents also founded a black YMCA? Sirius. Black. Serious. Black. Boom. The pen IS truly mightier than the sword. or the feather quill. Wizard? Olde fashioned writing device? Eh?doesn't matter! No matter what century he is portrayed in, he's badass in a cool way. Seriously.

Harriet Tubman had William Still -- who lent his place at 244 south 12th street, for them to use as a to go stop whenever passing through, as well as a secret hideout in the underground railroad. She befriended Frederick Douglas, good at speaking, writing and literature as well as politics in aiding and advocating for the freedom of slaves. The gender roles are flipped here, but that's Hermione Granger's allegorical representation. "It's pronounced Leviosa, not Leviosaaa, thank you very much!"

Are people wanted on bounty for the good and bad? Are you reporting them simply because you're told to or being paid? Or do you know why they're "accused" of wrongdoing and is it factual? what was actually said in that testimony? do you know? were there witnesses to what they're accused of? are they hunted down by police, security, and bounty hunters because they want something swept under the rug or for true evil intent and wrongdoing? Know your facts. Plenty of wanted posters -- but is it legit... or is there a secret reason the government wants them destroyed to suit their own personal gain or control over other people?

Plenty of wanted posters were hung over time. runaway slaves, activists, murders, assassins, John Wilkes Booth , runaways from abusive homes, endangered minors fleeing abuse... Just because you're seeing a poster to call someone and give them information for a reward -- look into information and fact check first. And more recently, doctors wanted for performing abortions posted by Philip Benham. Some characters in here and topics will make for history blog posts at a different future time. But the lesson is relevant. Know your facts.

I think that she made the franchise a popular thing with a British background, love of butterbeer and magic to fight against racial injustice, slavery, and oppression of minorities into different enslaved groups, so to speak in a way that would catch on better in the white community, even if they didn't always get the message and missed the point entirely. They like male dominance and white superiority. She flipped the allegorical representation's genders, to prove a point from a view they could accept if I'm reading this right, and... maybe to support the femininst movement by making Hermione Granger have some qualities of Frederick Douglass, because, who doesn't love a dork who uses her talents to stand up for a cause, and can blossom into a romantic beau worthy of being fallen for? No, spelling bees, being a straight A student, and top of the class doesn't gain you popularity overnight, and you might seem annoying as Hell, argumentative, uncool for school and friends, too much of a dork and not fun, at first -- but over time these qualities are useful to others who don't know them, and if you put your heart behind it, others can see why you are the way you are. it'll take forever to get the sweetheart of your dreams, but hey... when it happens, you're finally happy. Worth waiting for, right? Poor Hermione and Ron. They took forever, but eventually they got there. And eventually she could rally others to her cause, even if at first just to end the annoyance. But she never gave up -- and continued advocating after the fight was won. Much like the other characters both in the film and the actual history story.

No, British isn't always better. But it sounds better, doesn't it?

Marmalade over Jams. The idea of royalty, queens, fairy tales -- long after America freed ourselves from the tyranny of the king... duh. We still wanted to be them. Man, oh man lesson never learned. History.

Take it from someone who had a southern accent and was viewed as not fitting in enough in the white community as an adopted child from mixed parents. OUCH. To not get less on my oral exams in fifth grade, I had to fix a few things. I hated disappointing my English teachers and History teachers. I watched Hellen Keller's life documentary in a film and Singing in The Rain, and afterwards, with a few tips from my English teacher at the time, I fixed that real quick. To this day i can alter my speech to suit who I'm talking to -- It got me straight A's in fifth grade, and extra credit, and helped with confidence when reciting poems with social anxiety of my own. If others could hire voice instruction, I could teach it. British enunciations and pronunciations sounded better. It's get, not git. And, it helped in vocal choirs and singing. Impress the right people, and you'll get better grades. I think I was trying to earn the love I was missing, but - hey....

So please don't hate on J.K. Rowling, or someone who is mixed inside but white outside, or Harry Potter, or Harriet Tubman. Learn the Lesson, read the whole story. Don't judge the book by its cover or its face. You just might be surprised by the inside, and let your heart melt with it.

Or as Harriet Tubman would say - and her biography is written as she would speak, not as proper grammar writes -- which is partially why I read it so many times. The grammar nut in me didn't learn the entire story the first time around. y' jest might be s'prised. And the black community would say.'Don't yous be judgin' a book by its cover. 'Aight?

This is my interpretation of the Harry Potter series, and YES! I am most definitely a fan. Of J.K. Rowling's work, Harry Potter, the Hogwarts family, and Harriet Tubman, and THEIR shared cause. These are my findings. I'm a little bad at names sometimes, but I hope I matched up the correct allegorical references to the right historical characters.

I hope you enjoyed this little history lesson, and it coming alive for you in a whole new way. Whether the magic of the season we're in, getting witchy for you all (y'all) with the Harry Potter theme, OR with the allegorical lessons that keep history alive. Enjoy Fall, y'all! And come back later. And as the Europeans might put it, I'm bidding you adieu! Like Sirius Black had his home, please, stop back any time.