Our Ancestors Had Scars, Not Titles

...I write this today in tears. Because, stop telling Black people to "get over slavery". We will NEVER get over what was done to our fathers and mothers.

My mom traced our genealogy back to my grandfather’s grandfather. That’s as far as the records went. His name? Listed as “African Slave Davis.”

Not even the dignity of a name. Just property. Just erasure.

And I am in pain today as his descendent. I carry the scars whipped across his back. That’s what this holiday makes me think of, unfortunately.

Labor Day is about honoring workers. But for many of us, our ancestors didn’t labor by choice — they were enslaved.

They worked under whips, in fields and factories, with no titles, no promotions, no LinkedIn profiles. Their bodies carried scars — scars meant to erase them, yet they became proof of their survival.

Those scars are our inheritance. And if we’re honest, their scars carry more weight than our titles ever will.

Titles vs. Scars

A title can be handed to you by an institution. A scar is earned in the fire.

Titles fade. Scars endure. Titles separate. Scars connect.

Our ancestors’ scars were not metaphors. They were real. They came from lashes, chains, backbreaking labor, and stolen humanity. Yet through those scars, they gave us strength, faith, and resilience.

If their scars birthed revolutions, what are we doing with ours?

My Scar

One of my scars comes from betrayal.

I invested in team members I believed in. I developed them. I carried their stress alongside mine. But instead of gratitude, I was cursed out — verbally and emotionally abused by people I had trusted.

It cut deep.

My mistake was being too trusting, too accommodating, too distracted by my workload to remove the poison in my orbit. I should have been more attentive. I should have acted sooner.

That scar taught me: leadership is not about carrying everyone. It’s about protecting your peace and your mission. Some people don’t deserve access to your energy.

That scar still burns. But it also built me.

The Trap of Chasing Titles

Too many leaders are obsessed with the next position, the next badge, the next line on a résumé. But titles without scars are hollow.

• A title might get you applause.

• A scar earns you trust.

• A title might open a door.

• A scar keeps you in the room.

If you’ve never been broken, how can you lead people who are hurting? If you’ve never been betrayed, how can you guide others through disappointment? If you’ve never carried scars, how can you talk about legacy?

Scars don’t disqualify you. They’re your credentials.

This Labor Day

Remember: our ancestors didn’t get titles. They got scars.

And out of those scars came revolutions, movements, freedom songs, and generations of leaders.

Don’t just celebrate labor today. Honor the laborers who had no choice. Honor the scars they carried — and then honor your own.

Because your title won’t inspire anyone. But your scars? Your scars can change the world.

And to my ancestor listed as “African Slave Davis”: may the peace of God be with you always. Watch over us. Continue to inspire us to be free.

Be Revolution. Be Proud. Be Free.

Be Healed.

Dr. Golden