My grandfather created a life for his family by purchasing land, building his house, and cultivating crops. Years later, the city purchased some of his property to construct a freeway. Although my grandfather owned the land, he had no choice but to comply. The government seized part of his private property w through eminent domain for public use. The provision in the law required just compensation to property owners. I don’t know how much money my grandfather received. But he likely believed the payment for some of his land was a fair compensation.

“Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors” (Proverbs 22:28).

Boundary stones are physical markers meant to limit areas of property. Moving boundary markers in ancient times amounted to wrongfully seizing land. This act deprived people of their inheritance from their ancestors. In the Bible, God set up boundaries to defend the oppressed. The property was marked off and intended to stay in a family. Many ancient teachings emphasize the importance of respecting boundary stones, warning against their removal or alteration (Proverbs 23:10-11).

Similarly, diaries serve as ancient markers from the past, preserving the voices of those who came before us. We inherit truths about the past offering insights that shape our understanding of future events. The challenge comes when attempting to preserve these ancient writings. In earlier centuries, what we now call journals were known as diaries. These personal diaries offer readers a window into intimate thoughts and life events at the time of writing.

While diaries offer first-hand accounts and reliable information, they include letters, personal narratives, newspaper articles, government documents, and journals. Today literary historical records are increasingly at risk of being removed. It’s imperative to know Black History from its foundational roots. The origin from where something arises serves as stones of remembrance—monuments to build upon the future.

The rare diaries of Black women form a genre of literature, excluded from wide distribution, leaving these diarists unrecognized. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. highlights this exclusion, “According to Kant, that reason and writing did not exist amongst black people, because they were “lower in mental capacities than all other races.”

Although more diaries written by black women are emerging, their recognition remains slow. Often overlooked, these diaries have long been kept in the shadows. We are called to live with integrity, honoring the rights and properties of others as a reflection of God’s justice. In this spirit, we must also respect and preserve the legacy of these invaluable literary works.

The Black woman’s diary affirms her humanity, not what others place on her. She is created in the image of God. I imagine these diaries encouraged these women spiritually and emotionally as they wrote about racial discrimination, violence, and intimidation.

Woman diarist and journalist Ida B. Wells wrote, “I am writing myself into history and recording history for the younger generation, a history of horrors of lynching.” Wells expounds on this statement in her book, The Memphis Diary of Ida B. Wells: An Intimate Portrait of the Activist as a Young Woman. In her personal diaries, Wells elaborated on justice, womanhood, discrimination, and motherhood. She also applied the same ideas to her professional writings.

When Ida B. Wells became a mother, she took some time off from her work. She stated in her biography, “I had become a mother before I realized what a wonderful place in the scheme of things the Creator has given woman. It is she upon whom rests the joint share of the work of creation.”

Noteworthy Black women diarists who share the same sentiments as Wells include:

Charlotte Forten

Mary Virginia Montgomery

Emily Frances Davis

When publishing and accessing historical writings from original sources, we stay informed. It’s necessary to verify correct historical information because diary entries give insight into our modern experiences. Without a doubt, Black women diarists offer unique and essential perspectives. Their writings hold profound significance for Black communities, particularly in preserving family ancestry where written records are scarce. Readers understand how they view life and womanhood.

As Black women diarists tested dominant beliefs about mainstream history, we can learn from their reflective storytelling experiences. Here are important things to consider:

• The emotions and experiences these women preserved might have been lost.
• Their writings show resilience and courage.
• These diaries can shape your writing practices.
• Diarists wrote as activists and for personal healing.
• Diarists wrote their lived experiences into history.

Moreover, diaries bring the past to life and offer valuable lessons for future generations. Writing into history matters because it helps to preserve stories that might otherwise fade with time.

“Things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done” (Psalm 78:3-4).

I’ve carried many lessons from my grandfather and grandmother. I remember the summers when my family would drive three days to visit family in Tennessee. We stayed most of the summer. My cousins, siblings and I enjoyed roaming my grandfather’s land. We cut okra off stalks, broke beans from the garden, and waded in the creek. We looked forward to visiting every summer. Today, much of the land and the house my grandfather built is still in our family.

My grandmother’s letters testify to her life experiences. I preserved her letters and Bible along with other treasured items. Do you have any of your ancestor’s narratives (diaries, letters, or records)? If so, cherish them. If not, be proactive in documenting your story by leaving your diaries and journals for future generations, especially at a time when there is an effort to erase records.

Honoring these diaries upholds the legacy and dignity of Black women in a time of personal and community struggles. Their writings stand as boundary stones and markers of resilience.