Written by: María Belén Eyheramonho

Last weekend during our family movie time, we watched “The African Doctor”. This French film from 2016, based on a true story has very much to do with what’s been happening in America these days.

It portrays the life of Seyolo Zantoko, an African medical doctor who had to deal with discrimination when he intended to practice medicine after his graduation. His family had to face discrimination as well. There is a scene which particularly recalled my attention, when his little son asked to Dr. Zantoko: “Dad, why life is harder for black people?” Mom and dad looked at each other and had no answer…

It reminds me of a song we used to sing during our summer camps when I was a teenager:

“Good-night” I said to my little son

So tired out when the day was done.

Then he said as I tucked him in
“
Tell me Daddy what color’s God’s skin?”

What color is God’s skin?

I said it’s black brown, it’s yellow

It is red, it is white.

Ev’ry man’s the same in the good Lord’s sight.

He looked at me with his shining eyes

I knew I could tell no lies

When he said Daddy why do the diff’rent races fight

If we’re the same in the good Lord’s sight?

Son that’s part of our suffering past

But the whole human family is learning at last

That the thing we missed on the road we trod

Is to walk as the daughters and the sons of God.”

Tom Wilkes & David Stevenson wrote this song on 1964 and sadly, seems like we hadn’t still learn its meaning. But it’s about time. Should white people be discriminated for not singing multipart harmonies as wonderfully as blacks do? I don’t think so. Likewise, it has no sense to discriminate people based on how concentrated it’s melanin on their skin. We are all the same in the good Lord’s sight.