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your history. Learn to discern truth by
reading between the lines of what is of
fered to you as fact. The ability to do
this will open up a whole new world, and
cultivate a heightened sense of dignity
and pride within you.
5. Whatever you become, you were
Black first. Whether you prepare
yourself for a career as a doctor, a
lawyer, an engineer or a plumber, this
society will always view you as a Black
doctor, a Black lawyer, a Black engineer
and so on. Get used to the idea, and
choose to wear it, as well as your pas
sion for excellence, like a badge of
honor. Have no tolerance for mediocri
ty. Embrace your identity, and resist the
attempts of America and others to
undermine, dilute or discredit who you
are.
6. Racism isn’t going anywhere, so
don’t use it as a crutch. Pure and sim
ple, there isn’t a racist conspiracy behind
every negative experience that you may
happen to encounter in life. Don’t get
into the habit that so many of our self-
appointed leaders have of crying
“racism” each and every time
something doesn’t go exactly the way
that you would have wanted, or ex
pected it to. Yes, bigotry is rampant,
and it is definitely on the rise. This coun
try was founded on many of its prin
ciples. But every promotion that you are
passed over for, every scholarship you
don’t get and every inferior good or ser
vice that you are rendered should not in
stinctively be ascribed to it. Take each
incidence, however, learn from it and
grow.
7. Always project and carry yourself
with dignity. You are the son of the
original people of the earth, and of the
great kings and princes of Africa.
Remember this. Real Black men don’t
bark like dogs, or otherwise reduce
themselves to the behavior of a lower
animal species—under any circum
stances. Also, you are not a “nigger”,
so never characterize yourself, or any
Black person as such. Walk with your
head up, render a firm handshake and
look anyone, White or Black, directly
into the eye when you speak to them. Be
true to your word when you give it to
someone, and make it mean something.
8. Be fathers to your children. This
needs little or no explaining. If you have
a child or children, you simply must be
a presence and a factor in their lives—
30
and not just a monthly check for the
mother. If the family courts have
managed to relegate you to this system
of “fatherhood by mail,” as they so
often do, fight it. Even to the point of
pursuing custody, if you must.
9. The world, and society owes you
nothing. It has been said that “You may
not get all you pay for in life, but you’ll
certainly pay, for all you get.” No one
owes you a scholarship simply because
you’ve earned good grades, and nobody
owes you a job once you’ve been award
ed a degree or mastered a certain skill.
If you want something—anything at
all—you have to go out and get it. No
more, no less.
10. No one is successful by accident.
You must plan your work, and work
your plan, young man. People who are
successful are the ones the least surpris
ed by it when they attain it, because they
likely have been working towards their
dreams and ambitions all along. It’s just
everyone else around them (and who
usually doubted or tried to discourage
them) that begins to behave different
ly. Don’t blindly buy into what someone
else determines it to be, though. Define
and decide what success would mean to
you, and then achieve it on your own
terms.
These are Black things that you must
understand. Peace and strength.
Always, EBONY MEN.
RAMADA* INN
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ZEBRA VOL. 2 ISSUE 7