About the Author

Ekemini Uwan is a public theologian and co-host of Truth’s Table Podcast. Her writings have been published in The Atlantic, Washington Post, Huffington Post Black Voices and her insights have been quoted by NPR, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker.

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  1. This is so beautiful! This captures the spirit of your Amazing Dad. We loved him so much. A truly amazing tribute to his memory.🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

  2. I, too remember my father deep love for his large family during the jim crow era. He had to be creative in finding ways to make money for food and shelter and he did. Every day he challenged the lack of meaningful and well paying jobs by doing what was there; fruit picking, vegetable harvesting and domestic chores. My dad spent time talking to all of his children about being able to work and provide by learning how to do all kind of work and do it well. It was what he saw looking thru his lens at the world we lived in; it would remain the same for a very long time for Black families.

    Although a graduate of 4th grade, he was a master of life as I saw it; loved his family, taught us how to live and be happy with little, loved each other and shared our most cherished possessions with each other. To this day, I think of him and how he mastered his world and accepted the challenge each day to be the best father and he was.

  3. My father was my world. I was the eldest of four children. Dad would pick me up for a piggyback ride, as soon as he arrived home from work and then my little brother. My favorite memory of my dad happened when I was about 6 years old. We were living in apartment complex . Outside in the back was cement courtyard that shared the space with clotheslines. It was the perfect place to ride as I transitioned from a tricycle to a bike with training wheels . Daddy let me ride with training wheels about 2 weeks. Then he decided I should ride like the big kids and he raised my training wheels off the cement and held onto the back of my seat, as I pedaled the rectangular courtyard. Daddy said, Let’s go again. So I started pedaling and I turned the corner and Daddy was standing at the opposite corner waving his hands , then he started clapping me home on riding two wheels. When I rode up to him. He said, You are now a big girl because you can ride by yourself without training wheels or Daddy holding you.

    • This beautiful memory of your Daddy brought tears to my eyes. There’s nothing like a father’s love. May you be comforted by this memory and many others made with him. Thank you for reading about my beloved Daddy.

  4. My Daddy was a man of principle. He showed me unconditional love, he taught me to tell the truth even if I did wrong and for me to do the right thing. My dad worked and provided all of our needs even though he might have to take on a part time job. These are some of the reasons my love for my father is still strong although he has been gone for thirty years.

  5. Incredible tribute and observations… you are indeed your fathers daughter! You are an extension of him in many ways to reach into places he could not. Embrace that gift.

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