Chairman Hart is one of the founders of The Stagville Descendants Council (SDC), along with Charleen Justice-Bass, and Janice Curington. This is part of me, my journey in life…. Before helping create this organization I began my journey by researching the Hart family tree (my father family) (Broadie Hart-deceased) and to my amazement I found that our American history goes back to 1790’s right hear in Durham, North Carolina. My history and many more still to this day remain alive in the same area. My background is that of a normal family, a mother Daisy Ruth Evans Hart (deceased) and my father build a house and owned a piece of land and worked it. My mother made sure that God was in her children’s life at a very young age. My sisters and I would attend church every Sunday. 

Mrs. Wilson our neighbor came around every Sunday morning to collect the children in the neighborhood and take us all to Lakeview Baptist Church and bring us all home.

  My father made sure I was well rounded, very disciplined and raised to be responsible for ones action. He would always give me words of wisdom, “Be specific in what you ask for”, “always keep a spare of everything”, “there is a difference between begging, borrowing and asking.” He would say “as long as you don’t beg, you don’t have to borrow and then there is no need to ask for anything”. 

I completed high school in 1981.  After graduating from Northern Durham High School, I attempted college at Winston-Salem State University. I soon discovered that my interest lie elsewhere.  I joined the US Army Military Police Corp in 1981.   I served as a Military Police office, specializing in investigation, analyzing, and also diplomatic security advisor. During that time I also completed my BA degree and Master Degree in Criminal Justice.  In 1992 he RIFTED (reduction in forces) tens of thousand of career soldier right after the first gulf war. I graciously returned home to Durham. 

I have taught school for one year, ran for county commissioner twice and then sheriff twice. Once I got to close to possibly winning Sheriff of Durham County I was hit with a brick, I was informed by my employer that as a employee of a government agency that received federal funding I could not run for public office even though I don’t live in the county (were I work) its there county policy, its called the Hatch Act. So with that my political career is on hold as long as I work for this entity.

 During my time within the military and in local government I continued to long for answers that plague the African American community.  I keep thinking about why are we as a people fail and fall short as a people.  Our thoughts are passive and our minds are complacent.  The book "Willie Lynch - The Making of a Slave" opened my eyes and thoughts.  The impact of the statement below was life changing. 

This speech was delivered by Willie Lynch on the bank of the James River in the colony of Virginia in 1712.  Lynch was a British slave owner in the West Indies.  He was invited to the colony of Virginia in 1712 to teach his methods to slave owners there. The term "lynching" is derived from his last name.

“In my bag here, I HAVE A FULL PROOF METHOD FOR CONTROLLING YOUR BLACK SLAVES. I guarantee every one of you that if installed correctly IT WILL CONTROL THE SLAVES FOR AT LEAST 300 HUNDREDS YEARS. My method is simple. Any member of your family or your overseer can use it. I HAVE OUTLINED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENCES AMONG THE SLAVES; AND I TAKE THESE DIFFERENCES AND MAKE THEM BIGGER. I USE FEAR, DISTRUST AND ENVY FOR CONTROL PURPOSES. These methods have worked on my modest plantation in the West Indies and it will work throughout the South. Take this simple little list of differences and think about them. On top of my list is "AGE" but it's there only because it starts with an "A." The second is "COLOR" or shade, there is INTELLIGENCE, SIZE, SEX, SIZES OF PLANTATIONS, STATUS on plantations, ATTITUDE of owners, whether the slaves live in the valley, on a hill, East, West, North, South, have fine hair, course hair, or is tall or short. Now that you have a list of differences, I shall give you a outline of action, but before that, I shall assure you that DISTRUST IS STRONGER THAN TRUST AND ENVY STRONGER THAN ADULATION, RESPECT OR ADMIRATION. The Black slaves after receiving this indoctrination shall carry on and will become self refueling and self generating for HUNDREDS of years, maybe THOUSANDS.”

This is one of the reasons I helped found the Stagville Descendants Council; I want to do a lot of things to help break the control cycle of this destructive path we are on. I have started at the ground floor by researching, studying and reading, to get the understanding of how it happened, why it continue to happen and how to hopefully have a hand in untying the noose around our necks.  Blinders must be removed from our eyes and the shackles on our minds. Bear with me, work with me and pray with me for a positive out come on all that we do.

Humbly

Ricky L. Hart