OFE News Release
What America Means To Me
by Manuel Hogan
It was a dark night and Jess Copeland lay looking at the stars. He was only a kid, but he had big dreams. He dreamt that one day he could read and write, that one day his belly would be full, but most of all he dreamt that one day he would be free.
Soon Jess Copeland became a man with a family. He worked pulling cotton from sun up to sun down. When others would get tired and quit, Jess Copeland would find work and earn extra money. He saved change. He had a plan. One day, he would buy his freedom.
One day, he got his things together to go overseas to buy his freedom. He was so happy as he came to the big house. But, what he saw changed his life forever. He saw a man beat to death. The whips snapped, Ka Pow! This man had also come to buy his freedom, but instead he got a mean death.
Jess ran home scared. He knew he needed a new plan, so he prayed. The next night, Jess and his family ran away. He followed the same stars that he saw as a kid.
Jess never learned to read or write, but he worked as hard as a free man as he did as a slave. He sent his kids to school and taught them how important learning and freedom were. He taught them to be proud Americans. His grandsons even fought in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
I believe being an American mean knowing where you come from and being proud of who you are. My name is Manuel Hogan and I’m the great-great grandson of Jess Copeland, a runaway slave. I can read, write, and my belly is full. Most of all, I am FREE!