Newspaper Page Text
Page 7 October 15, 1991
Do You Know Me?
By Riche J. Daniel
Because of the attainment of what
may appear to be a small amount of
knowledge, a curiosity has developed
within many African-American
students.
The recent displays of Black pride,
such as Black-oriented paraphernalia,
plays, movies, songs, and every
different way in which we can express
ourselves, reflect the need and the
desire to learn and know that Africa is
the Motherland, that Egyptians were
the first civilization and that we as a
people are the backbone of the earth.
This curiosity extends beyond the
need to learn about our own ancestors
and culture, but also the need to know
how our culture and heritage may be
inculcated into the cultures of the
world.
Knowledge of any history is not
subject to interpretation; the facts are
there. Not to be analyzed and
transformed into what one wishes them
to be, but to be learned.
To not learn them dooms each of
us to repeat slavery in general and
mental slavery in particular.
Ignorance of our heritage has left
us, open to falsities presented by
society.
This ignorance has made it easy
for society to inflict its interpretations
of our history on our impressionable
young minds.
Society has weakened our pride in
our heritage, made us self-conscious of
our abilities and caused us to blame
society for the problems derived by
lack of knowledge.
Knowledge is the key!
Without knowledge of ourselves we
can never hope to attain the status that
is rightfully ours.
We are fed myths that destroy the
Black traditions. Myths devised by
other members of society and
inculcated into the minds of those who
do not know their heritage, their
ancestries, their customs.
Because we do not know it to be
any other way, and do not take the
time to research the situations, we
consider these myths to be blatantly
true.
Young people from fatfiilies most
traumatized and victimized by
conditions of the past are
the most vulnerable to the negative
message about being Black.
Because they” are undereducated
and closed out of the economic
mainstream, an underground economy -
now driven by drugs - has emerged.
We must forget everything we
think we know about Black women and
Black men and go back to the rich soil
of our tradition to dig and learn to
appreciate our heritage, for we are a
mighty people to have survived 300
years of physical and mental
oppression.
If we were given the opportunity to
learn in depth about our slave heritage.
A heritage which has created a
physically and emotionally powerful
people who have risen in this country
in spite of years of being told that they
were three-fourths of a person.
If we were given this great
opportunity we would understand
ourselves.
We would develop pride in our
heritage and our culture.
We would defeat society’s attempt
to keep us "niggers" (ignorant people).
And most of all, we would head
off and destroy the recent prediction
that the Black race as a whole will
self-destruct in the years to come.
Because the Black youth of today
are unfamiliar with legal segregation,
were not witnesses to the civil rights
struggle that opened to us the doors of
white institutions, nor have we been
affected by a major war, a Great
Depression, nor a naked racism, we
often take for granted the social
changes that have affected our world.
We were bom after the death of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr;, and
therefore Dr. King, the Selma March,
the Montgomery Boycott, the work of
Malcolm X, and the Vietnam war are
viewed with as much detachment as
the signing of the Magna Carta.
We have been lulled into a false
sense of security because things are a
little more accessible for us than they
were for our parents.
It is because of these advances that
we find ourselves ill-equipped to cope
with the covert
racism we continue to encounter.
And it is because of racism’s new
identity that we often strike out in
frustration at the wrong targets.
We chant "&ill the White people"
and "I’m Black and I’m Proud," but we
don’t know what we’re proud of
because we don’t know the extent of
our accomplishments as a people and
cannot begin to comprehend the
amount of gratification to which we are
entitled.
For the most part, school, the
Black community, and the larger
society are not giving us the support
we need to grow and develop a
positive self and racial identity and to
become constructive citizens.
We are very individualized without
a greater purpose than mindless
consumerism and self-gratification.
We do not believe in sacrifice,
determination, hard work, unity and the
achievement of long range goals.
As quoted from Dr. James P.
Comer, "It is time for-America to
invest in the institutions of Black
America as it did in Germany and
Japan after World War II.
"It is time for the African-
American community to act in a
cooperative, coordinated, systematic
way to protect and promote the well
being of all its children; to find ways
to help each child establish a personal
and group identity that provides
purpose and direction of substance and
significance; that allows each young
person to feel, ‘I am an individual, an
African-American with* a tradition of
sacrifice, struggle, and excellence; and
it is my job to restore and carry on the
radition for my own sake, for the
Continued on page 11
Speak Out!
By Sabrina Bradford
Over the summer, I read a few
books, watched a few movies and did
a lot of thinking.
Perhaps it was the mere nature of
these books, movies and thoughts that
enangered me so, or maybe I have
always been unconsciously harboring
this anger.
Although I often have rash
thoughts, I am not one of rash action,
so I decided I needed a positive means
through which to channel my anger.
Here I lay at 5:00 on a Saturday
morning trying to express to you some
of my sentiments because I just could
not sleep.
No, I am not angry at anything or
anyone in particular, because my
thoughts and feelings are too jumbled
to isolate specific incidents or people.
Maybe it is best if I describe my
anger to you.
My anger flares up every time I
watch Mississippi Burning or read a
Frederick Douglass account and have to
face and be cordial to white people the
next day.
Now, please do not misunderstand
me, I am not a militant, "by any means
necessary" type person.
However, sometimes I wish I were
because I would not only be thinking
about such matters, I would be doing
something.
Some of the following thoughts
also cause my anger to flare up more
than any movie or book ever could.
Why is it that in 1951 a white man
could rape a black woman, sodomize
her, and even murder, and only be
sentenced one to five years of
imprisonment, if even convicted?
In 1991, a black man can almost
be put to death if a white woman says
she believes that he might have been
the man who attempted to rape her.
Why is it that in 1951 a white man
could stand and openly admit feelings
of contempt and hatred of blacks and
be commended by his peers?
In 1991, a black man can sit and
quietly tell his friends of ill feelings he
has toward whites and be declared a
threat to the community and possibly
be imprisoned.
Why is it that in 1951 a white
policeman could shoot a black man in
the back and not be reprimanded and
in 1991 he can do the same thing?
WHY IS THAT?
Just writing about all of this gets
me angry - an anger I hope is
contagious.
My intent is not to provoke riots,
but rather thoughts.
I have gone to all kinds of
lectures, meetings, etc. where people
say, "We can’t just sit back and allow
this to happen; we must do something."
They then go on to tell you what
to do.
Yes, you can boycott, speak and
press charges against those who are
blatantly racist, but what about that
subtle racism?
This brings to mind an anecdote.
Last month, some friends and I
went to the movies and stopped for gas
on the way home.
My friends went in to pay for her
gas in good spirits, but returned in
anger.
When she reached the counter,
there was a young black woman before
her who was purchasing candy. The
attendant looked at the young woman
and aske<}.snidely, "Are you using food
stamps?"
At that point, would you have:
(a) made a scene and stormed
out;
(b) left both the candy and the
store quietly;
(c) purchased the candy and
made a scene; or
(d) purchased the candy and
left quietly?
Much to my dismay, the young
lady simply purchased the candy and
left quietly.
While it is easy to say what you
would have done in the same situation,
it is difficult for many to actually do
what they talk about.
It is time for us to give serious
thought to such matters.
Since this is a new school year, it
is a new beginning for us.
We need to take action to combat
racism both blatant and subtle.
"How?" you may ask.
Since all people are not orators,
boycotters or marchers, I will not
attempt to give you the methods*
We are all intelligent and know
what we are capable of carrying out.
That is my challenge to you.
Research yourself. Leam your
strengths and weaknesses.
Find your forte and use it.
Use it to combat racism whenever
it confronts you. v
This is our only means of possibly
eradicating racism, and my sisters,
believe me, we can do it.