Picture
These people, among many others, made great sacrifices so that we may afford the opportunities we presently have...
Throughout this past March up until now, I have been pondering many issues in Black America.  While there are many issues that I could have written about, why not address a topic that is avoided like the plague in the African-American community? 

I read an article the other week that raised the question of whether or not Black History Month has lost its luster.  The article basically said that, based on the importance (or lack thereof) the media placed on Black History Month leading up to and during the month of February, America has "moved on" from its harsh racial past and that the emphasis that Black History Month places on Black Civil Rights and the negative images and memories that it invokes is no longer needed in today's "post-racial" society.

I then proceeded to ask a few of my friends what they thought about Black History Month this year and a lot of them were upset that the month didn't get as much "shine" as it deserved.  When I asked them why they felt this way, they said "because White folks don't wanna know the truth about all that Black people did to get the country to where it is today."

But wait...do WE want to know the truth about Black History Month? How many of us know more about the Black struggle in America than just Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks on the bus? Who has read any of the great literary works of W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Booker T. Washington, or any of the many great minds of our past?

Black people love to talk about Civil Rights as if its a badge of honor we fight to protect daily, when, in reality, we know absolutely nothing about the struggle.  To be up in arms about the perceived lack of recognition and reverence for a month dedicated to the stuggles and achievements made by our predecessors without a single inclination to pick up a book or educate ourselves to gain a deeper understanding of those people or the social climate in which they fought is a complete show of ignorance, disrespect, and disregard for all that they stood for.

One thing about Black people is that we LOVE to meet...LOVE to discuss issues facing US.  In these discussions, gatherings, seminars, and meetings, we LOVE to refer to the past and what our pioneers did during their time.  The sad part is that if we were to go to college campuses and speak with leaders of prominent Black organizations (on my campus, that would be NAACP, BCPC, MAP, NPHC organizations, etc.), it is highly unlikely that most could tell you any more than surface-level information about those pioneers they LOVE to reference.

Take a moment to think about what this means.  Our pioneers' dedication to something greater for the future is the basis of what we do as human beings in today's world, especially as Black leaders in any capacity, on college campuses or in our careers.  Therefore, if we can't gain an understanding of the HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF BLACK LEADERSHIP through the speeches, literary works, movements, demonstrations, and lives of those that laid the foundation for us, how can we TRULY be effective in our roles leading others?
"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. King hit the nail right on the head with this statement.  How dare we live our lives on the shoulders of these great men and women, yet never think to pay them the respect of educating ourselves about our past?  A widely-known adage states that one should only "speak on what they know."  If this holds true across all aspects of society, when it comes to Black History and the Black struggle for progress in America, a lot of us Black people should KEEP SILENT.
2 Comments
 
 
We, as African-Americans, know all too well the struggles our families have faced throughout many generations.  From the initial separation of our families during the slave trade to today's extremely high divorce rates, the list of reasons why African-American families are in its current state seem insurmountable.

However, I am a strong believer in the idea that you have to start SOMEWHERE...and, in my opinion, that somewhere is with the presence (or lack thereof) of the African-American father figure in the household. 

The statements you hear in the clip above reflect the attitudes and mindsets of many African-Americans, young and old...that the presence of the African-American male in the African-American family has no value. This ideology leaves one burning question in my mind: "HOW DID WE LET THINGS GET THIS BAD???"

In other cultures, the male is the centerpiece of the family...the unquestioned leader.  The father is respected by his wife and children, and the way he leads his household and provides for his family shape the way his children lead their households, setting a pattern for future generations to follow. 

Whenever the father was absent, uncles or other men in the community would serve as role models, grooming young boys to become men, and giving young girls a shining example of the type of man they should want to marry and be led by.

No matter what culture or ethnic group you study, while the role of the female may vary in its importance, the unwavering figure in family governance is the male.

Why can this not be said about today's African-American culture? There are many different things we can point to, but, realistically, we are past the finger-pointing stage.

Being real with ourselves and taking meaningful action has been LONG overdue for African-American people. We must realize that before we talk about America's discriminatory practices or what the Obama administration can do for us, we have to get our own house in order, starting with addressing the role of the African-American male.
Add Comment