the Sierra Leonean women - five generations before her. I am humbled, but I am not deterred. To represent not only the Manga legacy, the Mende-Temne legacy, but the legacy of Sengbe Pieh and many other reformers, freedom fighters and patriots of Sierra Leone. Mr. President, I would like to thank you for not only keeping your promise to give me my citizenship when we met, as I was a part of your delegation at the 63rd General Assembly at the United Nations in September of 2008. I remind you that your promise was made at the historical Willard Hotel, where one of our reformers - Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in his hotel room at the Willard in 1963 days before his March on Washington . I would also like to remind you sir and all of our guests – that there would be no reform if there had never been a civil rights movement and there would have been no civil rights movement if it were not for the Sierra Leonean Sengbe Pieh, who became the first civil rights case. So, that irony does not fall short on me. And why we are finally here, I believe that through science the truth is found out. I believe that DNA will finally become the tool to bridge the gap between our brothers and sisters who have been lost. Since my rebirth in February 2005, the moment I received my DNA results from African Ancestry, Inc. I have been boldly and impassionedly put on a crash course forged in fire with challenges upon challenges and difficulties. And every single one where I felt I could not go on, something would happen literally the next day that said that I should. I stand here today, humbled and grateful that I did. This is not only a historical occasion, but is one that has defined Isaiah Washington . WHO IS ISAIAH WASHINGTON? I am the first, but I certainly won’t be the last. This is just a dream come true that I never talked about for fear of being ridiculed since the age of 9. I’ve written a book about it, chroni-
cling it, entitled “A Man From Another Land” about how finding my roots changed my life. For those who dreamed of being football players, track stars, baseball players, doctors, astronauts and lawyers. I dreamed of Africa. At the time I thought I was being plagued by this particular dream – a peculiar dream that was the exact same dream that came into fruition on May 28, 2006. I never revealed this to any of my family or my tribal brother, again for fear of being ridiculed. It’s a daunting task to know what your purpose is early in life. It’s unexplainable and it’s overwhelming. But I can release all of that – today. And I thank you for that freedom. WHO IS GONDOBAY MANGA? On May 28, 2006 I was The Foday Golia Memorial School Before (top) tribally baptized, adopted and After The Gondobay Manga Foundation and inducted as Chief Gondobay Manga. The honorary title has now been “legitimized” today. Largely ratified and fighting. The Gondobay Manga name recognized at my official ribbon-cutting has not been used for over 300 years in Njala Kendema yesterday. Opening until now. I was told that there was folkthe Foday Golia Memorial School that lore that there would be “a man from services over 250 students today, was another land” that will join in the effort my gift to the people of Sierra Leone. to re-claim and restore Sierra Leone I have travelled around the continents to its former greatness. Mr. President, of Africa and North America looking at I am honored to be the first African ruins and buildings that have landmark American to receive this citizenship, placards on them from Bunce Island, but I will assure you I will not be the South Carolina to Georgia. Slave cab- last. You sir, have sparked a fire that ins. Slave castles. And I always had a will spread throughout the continent of different take. One that was completely Africa and throughout the world. separate from the one I was supposed I believe that DNA has memory. I beto have - Malice, Anger and Rage. All I lieve that if the slave traders could have could see, although the blueprints had known to destroy our chromosomes I been laid by our enslavers and our op- believe that they would have so that pressors, were that these ruins are still this connection today could have never standing much like the pyramids simply happened. [APPLAUSE] because they were “built” by our hands. Mr. President, I believe that DNA In that rebuilding I now stand here as has memory and once and for all. Our Gondobay Manga II. Gondobay Manga brothers and sisters can now begin to was a warrior who came from Kono to “awaken” to their individual ancestral defend the Kono Settlement and died
Black Business News International Edition -33- Spring/Summer 2010
see Isaiah Washington on page 35