During this recent dip in the economy, many Black people have been forced to endure the dogged job hunt chase. Many of us are qualified (or over-qualified) citizens with plenty of talent and credentials. However, by being Black we are placed in a unique situation of double-consciousness. In the case of black women, we face a somewhat triple- oppression having to deal with our color, sex and socio-economic statuses. One key factor in the job hunt fiasco that specifically affects Black women is our hair. On countless blogs, websites and forums the questions continue to be asked, “ Is natural hair unprofessional?” or “Should I straighten my hair or wear a wig to get a job?” I have seen a plethora of answers and there is always the dreaded conclusion that we must alter ourselves in order to gain employment.
However this issue is much deeper than being about employment. When are we going to realize that the more we continue to alter ourselves to please “others”, the more we are succumbing to the sub-human state of existence that is being placed upon us? This is an issue of forcing the world to recognize our humanity, our God given right to exist the way we were created. When we change our hair, skin or body to please other people we are in essence saying, “You’re right, there is something wrong with being Black.”
When is the last time you saw a discussion about Caucasian women afraid to wear their hair straight for fear of unemployment?
You’ve never seen it because it doesn’t exist. European phenotypes are unfortunately perceived as normal. Meanwhile, African phenotypes are viewed as abnormal in a society that is predominantly Eurocentric. This is why multi-million dollar companies such as Nivea can create advertisements referring to Black hair as “uncivilized” without seeing anything wrong with it. However, this can change and it’s changing more and more everyday. It takes persistence, even in the face of hardships, to make the world respect our right to humanity. We are not three fifths of a man. We are human beings on this planet and we have a right to exist fully and completely.
The more we allow ourselves to be disrespected, the more we will continue to face blatant and overt discrimination concerning our hair, skin and bodies. Furthermore, do you really want to work for a place that does not respect you or your heritage? Wear your hair kinky, curly, straight, bald, twisted or braided but please do your hair the way it pleases you. Not someone else. Let us stop apologizing for being Black. We have to make the world recognize and respect who we are, as we are, unapologetically.
Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor is a writer, social justice advocate and the founder of Our Legaci. Learn more about her work at JAMAiwuyor.com. Email JAMAiwuyor@gmail.com.
BlackBloggersConnect.com is launching a weekend long blog conference and Twitter forum highlighting the Troy Davis death sentence case. Starting on Friday September 16th – Sunday September 18th, we will feature blogs from all over the world that are blogging about Troy Davis on the BlackBloggersConnect.com homepage. There will be links to online petitions as well.
We are also holding a Twitter Forum on Sunday September 18th from 7pm – 8 pm EST that will be an in-depth discussion about Troy Davis’ case. Use hashtag #ForTroy in your tweets to participate.
If your website would like to become an official partner of the Blogging For Troy Online Conference and Twitter forum please email us at info@BlackBloggersConnect.com.
Background Information:
Troy Davis was convicted of killing a police officer in 1991. However, he has always proclaimed his innocence. There is few if any evidence connecting Davis to the crime. Furthermore, seven of the nine witnesses have recanted their testimonies and submitted sworn affidavits stating that they were pressured by police to blame Davis for the murder. Additionally, evidence is emerging suggesting that someone else possibly committed the crime. There is too much reasonable doubt in this case for Troy Davis to face execution. However, the state of Georgia has insisted on this death sentence despite the overwhelming reasonable doubt.
Sincerely,
Jessica Ann Mitchell
Founder/CEO
Black Bloggers Connect
info@BlackBloggersConnect.com
For many Haitians fleeing poverty at home and looking for work in the cane fields, the Dominican Republic has been a refuge. But now many Haitians in the DR could face forced deportation back to Haiti or be forced to live outside the law.
Have you ever seen the Lion King? As a child my brother loved to watch that movie and he would watch it over and over again. I loved the way that the character of Simba evolved. He went from a curious cub, to easy going teen, to finally the Lion King. That’s pretty cool if I must say so myself, but before Simba could become the Lion King he had to go through a lot of hardships. If you recall the story you can recall that Scar implanted the seed of guilt in the mind of Simba, causing Simba to believe that he was the reason for the death of Mufassa. He was supposed to never return. He was supposed to be killed by the hyenas. He was supposed to disappear so that Scar could rule the land and finally become the all mighty king. Scar wanted to be the man or I guess in this case”the lion”. As I recall the movie Lion King it led me to ask the question: When does a boy become a man? Thanks Simba for the motivation.
Initially Simba wanted to be king for selfish reasons. He didn’t care about being just and being strong for his people, he cared about being able to do whatever he wanted without restrictions. So many of us young men share ties to the character. We all crave power, yet we know not what to do with it once we obtain it. We crave the ability to do what we want and to be on top of people that we tend to forget about the other million or so people in the world. If you can recall the lead song from the movie Lion King “I just can’t wait to be king” Simba never talked about being diplomatic. He talked about being the “man”. Simba’s idea of being the man is comparable to what a lot of us in the real world think make us men. We think that our position in life determines our manhood, and that men are defined by their ability to be strong and their ability to conquer.
Sometimes in life we as young men must be humbled by our situation to appreciate our potential destination. In the movie Lion King Simba ran away as Scar instructed. He found two partners in a meerkat and a warthog. Timon and Pumba could be the grown men who race off into obscurity to escape the pressures of the real world. These two created a pseudo reality for themselves. I think a lot of us in the real world tend to subliminally internalize the phrase “Akuna Matata”. As the song says “it means no worries for the rest of your days. It’s our problem free philosophy. It’s simply Akuna Matata. How many people do you know who act as if they don’t have a care for the world? They could care less about being responsible. They could care less about being anything. They just wake up everyday to the same routine. “Chillin”. In the movie Timon, Pumba, and Simba just chilled. Constant coolin as they ate bugs, looked at the stars, sung songs and lived everyday on cloud nine. Simba at that point of the story didn’t even think about his past. Why go back to that when you can just chill and live an average life with no worries. To bring it back home so many people would rather chill and let their true potential lay dormant. Why strive to be great when you can live a care free life where responsibility does not exist. Why not embrace “Akuna Matata.”
Sometimes we as young men need wake up calls. In the movie Lion King, Nala was Simba’s wake up call. A dose of reality to awaken him from his slumber was all that the young Simba needed. Nala knew the true potential that lay in Simba. She knew the lineage that he came from, yet Simba still tried to run far from his destiny. How many people do you know that have all the potential in the world to do something productive, yet even through all your motivational tactics they still can’t see the bigger picture? I know so many people who could have been, who should have been, or would have been if they only would have awaken from their sleep. You can walk around all day in the land of the living and still be sleeping. Simba was sleeping, as a lot of my peers, and some of yours are. Rafiki showed SImba what he needed to see. It wasn’t Mufassa that he showed him, but it was himself. To bring it back home until you look deep down in yourself you can never fully become a man.
In order to become a man or in Simba’s case a Lion one must accept who you are. You have to embrace that ideal, and not run away from it. The more you continue to run the more you continue to stay in limbo. Simba after accepting who he is went back to Pride Rock. He faced his demons, and though he may have been nervous he did what he had to do. Once we as young men face our fears, and stand firm in our belief that we can succeed the sky at that point is the limit. By facing Scar and proving to himself that he really was worthy Simba became what he was destined to be; “The Lion King”
The story of the Lion King I feel applies to real life. I believe that to a certain degree we as boys share some of the same characteristics of a young Simba. We are trying to find our niche. We are experimenting. We can be pompous at times, and we seldom listen to the advice of others. It’s sad to think that until we are faced with a situation we then truly begin to open our eyes and see the bigger picture. In the case of Simba he lost his father, but luckily he was able to get back on track. The journey they say is more rewarding than getting to the destination, to overcome and to persevere is a great strength that lies in each and every one of us. As a writer I know that I am still evolving, and as a young man I know that I still have room for growth. I know that there will be trials and tribulations, and I know that how I handle them will determine how far I can go, so with that being said I conclude by quoting the infamous song that was mentioned a little earlier; “OH I JUST CANT WAIT TO BE KING”.
On June 9th, 2011 16 year old Tysha Jones was killed by a senseless shooting at Brighton beach in New York. The Harlem native was a teenage girl loved by many. As of recent a 19yr old suspect was arrested in this shooting.
Talented Harlem emcee Donny Goines felt so touched by this tragedy, so close to home he made a dedication song. This song is powerful it represents thousands of Tysha’s gone to soon from senseless violence. We need to stop killing each other.
Written BY – Kayla: an event planner who loves music
Photo Credit: Jaguda.comYou Are Not an Animal: Black Men Reclaim Your Dignity
A bizarre and controversial commentary that makes you think, react and say, “Is that possible?” It begins with a shocking premise and culminates in an unusual twist that you have to read to believe. As a show of solidarity, I dedicate this commentary to President Barack Obama, and the most enigmatic entertainer to grace the universe, the unconquerable. Michael Jackson!
by Peggy Butler
Prelude: Since 1989, much attention has been devoted to the status of Black men and their “inevitable demise.” But regardless of what western civilization thinks, Black America continues its tradition of giving props to these courageous warriors. So, to Black men from Alabama to Wyoming, this editorial is dedicated to you.
Picture this scenario: A colossal public housing project embodying 26 buildings, 4210 apartments and 15,000 tenants, stands unnoticed in a low-income residential district surrounded by garbage and overgrown shrubs. Entering the high-rise pigsty—you’re overwhelmed by the stench of urine and cheap wine emanating from the stairwells.
Turning a corner, you walk gingerly amid broken glass and used condoms littering the corridors. Nauseated and disgusted more surprises are in store. As you head for the exit, you pass an abandoned apartment and watch as a middle-age man jabs a syringe into his arm, trying vainly to escape reality. Forging ahead, you watch as gangs fight over neighborhood turf.
As you head for the exit, your feet graze the neighborhood drunks. Asleep in the doorway, unaware of their surroundings and too inebriated to care, they sleep soundly. Welcome to the year 2289. Common sights like the ones above are observed in the congested buildings of Chicago, the dilapidated projects of New York and the multi-complexes of Los Angeles.
It is now 278 years into the future and Black men have replaced animals in laboratory experiments. Having heard in the 20th century that African-American men were moving toward extinction, it came to fruition. Now at the mercy of ruthless scientists, many struggle to reclaim their dignity, as they try to piece together how they came to exist in this state of upheaval.
The massive public housing project, home to 10,000 Black men also doubles as a laboratory. Ninety-five years ago, 50 percent of America’s Black men, unable to cope with social discontent began wondering if there was a conspiracy against them. Thus, began their journey of mass destruction.
On June 29, 2089, a group of young Black men visited the Saravaela Laboratory in Laugford, Ohio. There, using an assortment of codes, they asked scientists to formulate an experiment using them as guinea pigs to determine the validity of the conspiracy theory. A call went out for volunteers, and millions of men permitted themselves to become human fodder. At first they were treated like any other lab animal, but as the months passed, they were subjected to inhumane cruelty.
Rebelling against their plight, a few managed to escape, but for every Black male that escaped, there were thousands more to take their place. Defenseless, his dignity gone, and his pride abandoned; the Black man struggled to free himself from his captors.
Staring through the small cubicle he called home, he wondered how he reached this point-in-time. Maybe it began in December 1989 when the conspiracy theory was first broached. Or maybe it began when Black men started judging themselves by White standards; and gave in to the misconception that they were “lazy, sex-crazed, drug-addicted thugs prone to violence.” But it did begin somewhere—and it ended in imprisonment, and the end of the race as we once knew it!
Stop! Brothers, what I have written up until now, was my pessimistic side, expressing my inner most thoughts. Now it’s time to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of the media and people in general underestimating African-American men. Similarly, I’ve grown leery of White females averting their eyes and clutching their purses in the presence of these men. Moreover, I’m tired of the media explaining in vivid details, the Black man’s demise.
Stop putting all Black men in the same category. Only a small percentage are using drugs and committing crimes. The rest are trying to do their absolute best, thus seeking the pursuit of happiness just like everyone else. By the way, there are thousands of educated and productive Black men climbing the ladder of success. ISN’T THAT PROOF THAT THEY CAN DO MORE THAN SING, DANCE, PLAY SPORTS AND CREATE BABIES?
Black men are not asking anyone for anything. All they’re saying is stop labeling, stop criticizing, stop analyzing. They are not objects to be probed, prodded and petted at will. They are in fact human. See them. Touch them. Feel them. Examine their motives. They are men subject to the same mistakes and temptations as the rest of us high polluting hybrids.
So stop speaking of them as if they were a piece of cheese or a morsel of dust. Stop having programs and panel discussions featuring Black men as the main attraction, and stop saying what a contemptible specimen they are; because we aren’t buying it.
Black men are not animals. They are men. And at this moment they are reclaiming their dignity. Hate it, dismiss it, whatever. The Black man’s motto in the 21st century is “I’m going to keep on flickin until I’m through tickin.” Hence, forget that extinct mumbo jumbo. Peace!
Peggy Butler is a freelance writer based in North Central Florida. She has written for various magazines and Internet publications including Africana.com. and TimBook Tu. Moreover, Butler who lists collecting 60s memorabilia among her hobbies; writes news, features, sports and entertainment articles, as well as commentaries and humor pieces.
Visit her website at peggysbutler.com or track her at Twitter.com/peggybutler647.
Why would anyone of any race, including Blacks, utter a word that has brought pain and humiliation to millions of African-Americans?
A Black writer talks candidly about the N-word. WARNING: If you freak out at the sound of all things controversial, reading this article could seriously damage your analytical expertise, so proceed with caution.
By Peggy Butler
When dealing with highly controversial issues, we often allow our emotions to over shadow our mind-set. Thus, the use of the N- word, has resulted in a three-ring circus, regarding which races are prohibited from saying it, and which groups can utilize this racial slur without fear of reprehension.
This observation came to life three weeks ago, while having lunch at a local fast food restaurant that shall remain anonymous. As I recall, I was enjoying a delicious salad, when I overheard a conversation between two Black females who appeared to be in their early 20s. They were talking about who was more attractive, Usher or Will Smith. One woman said that Usher was so good looking it hurt. To which her friend nonchalantly mumbled “Ni..er Please,” as they burst into laughter and gave each other high fives.
Listening to their conversation, I couldn’t help but wonder what would have occurred, if a person of European origin had uttered the N- word. No doubt, harsh words would have been exchanged, blows thrown and a few nerves rattled. Case in point: Comedian Michael Richards’ racist tirade against two Black men who allegedly heckled him during his act at a Los Angeles comedy club in November 2006. Can anyone say catastrophe with a triple C?
For years, society has pondered the age old question of why it is perfectly acceptable for African-Americans to call each other Ni..er, but unacceptable for Caucasians to call, or even think of calling us that derogative term, detested by Blacks of all cultures and socioeconomic status.
Blacks contend that the reason it is perfectly harmless for them to call each other Ni..er, is because it is said in a playful gesture, as opposed to the sadistic tone conveyed by non-Blacks. And while Blacks maintain that calling each other the N – word is perfectly natural, there are millions who vehemently disagree. They maintain Blacks should have enough love and respect for each other to stay as far away from the word as possible.
A glaring example of this controversy took place in 2010, when researchers at The Galvanic Institute of Sociology interviewed 400 men and 600 women, ages 16 to 80, to determine their thoughts regarding the N word. When asked if they would be offended if they were called Ni..er by another African-American, 86% of the respondents said no, with 14% saying they would be offended. However, when asked if they would be offended if a White person did the same thing, a whopping 98% said they would respond negatively. Surprisingly, 2% said that being called a Ni..er by Whites had no effect on their morale or self-confidence.
The poll further noted that college educated Blacks found the term less offensive than Blacks with 11 years or less of education. Experts contend, the former represents those African-Americans who view themselves as color- blind and are oblivious of bigotry. Theoretically, they fall under the same category as others who adhere to this bogus concept, like conservative columnist Armstrong Williams and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Ah, isn’t denial awesome?
And speaking of negative words, it has been noted with much dismay, that if you want to make a timid individual or religious fanatic angry, have a person of European origin, walk up to them and shout “Hey Ni..er.” They argue the shy introvert will raise enough hell to wake the dead, and the bible-toting-Jesus-spouting-holier-than thou church goer will “lay a cursing” on you that will leave you speechless.
Ni..er Please. How many times have you said that to your spouse, friends, co-workers, even your children? And when you said it, did you stop and think why you said it? For one moment did you think about the hurt and embarrassment this word has brought to millions of African-Americans? Moreover, how you would feel if the person calling you that dreaded word was White, instead of Black?
To reiterate, it’s ironic, isn’t it? We laugh when calling each other Ni..er, but clinch our teeth and bring out the fangs when called that by Caucasians. Is there really a difference? Or do we feel less vulnerable when we are put down by each other, instead of those other folks?
Peggy Butler is a freelance writer based in North Central Florida. She has written for various magazines and Internet publications including Africana.com. and TimBook Tu. Moreover, Butler who lists collecting 60s memorabilia among her hobbies; writes news, features, sports and entertainment articles, as well as commentaries and humor pieces.
Visit her website at peggysbutler.com or track her at Twitter.com/peggybutler647.
The Black community is still plagued by the belief that light skin and straight hair is more beautiful the dark skin and natural hair. Every day members of the black community divide each other based on skin tone. Even family members and friends perceive beauty based on a color scale. This is a serious problem that highlights the self hatred we face everyday.
The new documentary by Bill Duke,”Dark Girls”, examines colorism and how it affects the Black community.
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem and African Liberation: Don’t Agonize, Organize
May 25 every year is dedicated to the commemoration of the struggle for liberation from colonial rule in Africa. Last year at the celebration of African Liberation Day in Accra, Ghana, I came face to face with some living legends of African liberation and heard their narratives of the sacrifices they had paid for Africa’s political freedom. One of these heroes, Kenneth Kaunda – the nonagenarian veteran of Zambian independence and author of the book, Zambia Shall Be Free – was very forthright in capturing the challenges and accomplishments of the decolonization movement. He also illuminated the many contemporary problems which impede the complete emancipation of the continent. The ultimate goal of the decolonization was self determination, dignity and wellbeing of Africans. But more than five decades after the end of colonial rule in most African countries, many problems still militate against these goals.
Across the continent, people are plagued by high rate of unemployment, inadequate access to quality health care and education, over-dependence on foreign aid, low life expectancy rate, brutal dictatorship and pseudo-democratic leaders, gender inequality, and all sorts of threat to the future of the African child. One may even want to question the meaning of African liberation as the continent still does not have enough bargaining power to negotiate a global agreement against the disproportionate threat of global warming to the survival of the continent – a threat so grave that there are concerns that the emission level agreed upon by the powerful states would, as noted by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, “condemn Africa to incineration.” Against this backdrop, some people ask whether African Liberation Day is worth celebrating.
However, after my experience at the African Liberation Day in Ghana, I gained some clarity that informed my opinion: we must not trivialize the labor of the past heroes of Africa’s liberation struggle; we must celebrate the gains that have been made, while taking inspiration from the old struggles to confront contemporary challenges. This clarity was taken to a higher level after my familiarity with the writings of Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem.
In our quest for inspiration, we should not only focus on the achievements of the African liberation heroes of the 20th century. We need to draw on the life and deeds of 21st century Pan Africanists. A symbol of this new brand of Pan Africanists was Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, who demonstrated that the younger generation should not agonize about the current state of the continent but stand for what is right and organize to complete the African liberation process.
Dr. Tanjudeen Abdul-Raheem (1961- May 25, 2009)
Dr. Tajudeen was born in Nigeria on January 6, 1961. He was steadfast in his commitment to speaking truth to power and standing for the ordinary people. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Nigeria with first class honors, he studied politics at Oxford University in the UK as a Rhodes Scholar. When he was interviewing for the Rhodes Scholarship, Tajudeen asked the interview committee to explain to him why they thought someone like him would want to be associated with an imperialist such as Cecil Rhodes who committed racist crimes against Africans. This question, however, did not get in his way to becoming a Rhodes Scholar.
He dedicated his life to organizing for Africa’s transformation. He was secretary general of the 7th Pan African Congress held in Kampala, Uganda in 1994. He led the organization Justice Africa (which he helped found in 1999) to engage the African Union on issues that concern the wellbeing of the ordinary African. He was one of those at the forefront of pro-democracy struggle that delegitimized military rule and enthroned democracy in Nigeria. A co-founder of the reputable Center for Democracy and Development in Nigeria, Tajudeen was also the general secretary of the Global Pan-African Movement. He was Deputy Director of UN Millennium Campaign for Africa, and also gained a reputation as was a critical commentator and writer who drew attention to what should be the core of African liberation in the 21st century.
Dr. Tajudeen was blunt but nuanced in his critique of African leaders who were once part of the liberation movement but derailed from the goal of emancipation in the course of perpetuating themselves in power. While space will not allow me to analyze all his writings, the titles of many of them were reflective of their theses, and they include: “Corrupt Leaders are Mass Murderers;” “Respect Term Limits for Democratic Change;” “Rule of Law or Law of the Rulers?”; and “Mu’ammer Gaddafi: The Brother Leader is Wrong on Revolutionaries in Power Not Retiring.” The others include: “Zimbabwe: As Good a Place as Any to Draw the Line;” “Justice for Zimbabwe Regardless of the West;” “Does Meles (Zenawi) Think He’s Africa’s George Bush?”; “Africa: The Many Challenges to Human Rights in Africa;” and “Presidency in Perpetuity.”
Tajudeen’s commitment to the emancipation and wellbeing of ordinary people in Africa was nonnegotiable. He displayed this in his encounter President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. Museveni once sent Ugandan intelligence operatives to Nigeria to help Tajudeen escape from jail, where he was detained by then Nigeria’s brutal military ruler Gen. Sani Abacha for opposing his military dictatorship. Despite this help, when Museveni manipulated Ugandan laws to perpetuate himself in office, Dr. Tajudeen was the first to lash out against him. The issue of responsible leadership raised by Dr. Tajudeen some years ago has resurfaced today in the midst of growing discontent towards African leaders by their people.
Dr. Tajudeen was also preoccupied with issues affecting women. He wrote about “Ending Violence Against Women;” and affirmed that “Mothers Should Not Die Giving Life.” Recognizing the burden of liberation and transformation borne by women, Dr. Tajudeen wrote that “Everyday Should be a Woman’s Day.” He worked for African Unity and wrote: “Why We Must Struggle Against Xenophobia!” He also wrote about “The Demand for Common Citizenship;” and about “Taking Pan-Africanism to the People.” Dr. Tajudeen mobilized people to “Stand Up Against Poverty,” and cautioned against aid dependency, noting: “Live Aid 2: ‘It’s Like Trying to Shave Someone’s Head in Their Absence.’” He backed up his activism with fervent grassroots mobilization and asked others to do same.
Don’t Agonize, Organize
We lost Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, though not his ideas. In 2009 on Africa Liberation Day, Dr. Tajudeen died in a car accident in Kenya on his way to launch a maternal health campaign in Rwanda. While he was alive, Dr. Tajudeen made us to understand that the struggle for Africa’s liberation continues. He clarified that we must appreciate the sacrifices and achievements of the past and that we must be conscious of the challenges of today. We must never agonize about the problems. We must speak truth to power and organize to confront the challenges. The inherent power of his dictum, “don’t agonize, organize,” is being displayed in Egypt, where people have mobilized to put the society on a new path.
I would recommend that young Africans and aspiring leaders, who seek to put their passion for better society and human dignity above everything else in Africa, read Dr. Tajudeen’s work and seek inspiration from his thoughts on African liberation. His writings have been compiled in a compendium, titled Speaking Truth to Power: Selected Pan-African Postcards.
On this 2011 African Liberation Day, we remember Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem as one Pan Africanist and humanist who made a mark by helping us with ideas about the central focus of African liberation and Pan Africanism in the 21st century: the restoration of the human dignity and wellbeing of all Africans from the stranglehold of corrupt and despotic leaders and their foreign accomplices. Yes the celebration of African Liberation Day is still very relevant. Don’t agonize, Organize!
……………………………………………………..
Wilson Idahosa Aiwuyor is a researcher. A graduate of International Relations from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, he is also a Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University. He could be reached at aiwudaho@gmail.com.
Brain Power Funkdafied. Who has the monopoly on intelligence? The answer will shock you.
by Peggy Butler
Americans enjoy having a wealth of information at their fingertips. Interested in knowing who was the first African-American granted a patent? The answer can be found via books, magazines and the Internet. Based on our massive databases, one would be hard pressed to find anyone who still clings to the theory that Blacks are intellectually inferior, right? Wrong. Welcome to Reality Complex 101. This organization is comprised of millions of Europeans who are convinced, that when it comes to academic prowess, White reigns supreme.
This asinine theory was depicted in the 1994 best seller “The Bell Curve.” The book’s authors Charles Murray and Richard Hernstien concluded, there is evidence suggesting “Blacks are genetically less intelligent than Whites.” This long held belief, remains one of America’s most disturbing myths. The Bell Curve created an uproar among African-Americans who characterized the book as literary garbage, cleverly concocted by two White males, as a gesture of racial superiority.
The Age of Pre-Civilization
Prior to the 20th century, this erroneous perception may have appeared true, based on the fact; Blacks were denied an education. During slavery, Whites felt that slaves were less likely to create problems if they remained illiterate. Sound familiar? Plantation owners were fond of saying, “The best slave is a dumb slave.” So determined were Whites to keep slaves from learning, schools were burned down, and teachers were sent packing. In putting education in its proper perspective, a few owners taught their slaves to read the Bible, but any education beyond that was forbidden.
Throughout the ages, questions regarding Black versus White intelligence continue to surface. If you ask the average Caucasian who’s smarter Blacks or Whites, you will in all likelihood hear a myriad of answers. However, An emphatic NO, would be the logical response, if the person asking the question was of European origin and the person responding was African-American.
Nonetheless, among each other, experts contend Whites are wholly convinced, they are smarter than the average African-American. “ Historically, this is a stereotype that is fervidly entrenched in the Caucasian race,” says Laura Morton, a retired English teacher whose roots are tinged with Irish and German genetics. “There are two things that Whites are absolutely certain of,” she stressed emphatically. “The first is that blond haired, blue-eyed women, are the most beautiful creatures in the universe. And the second fallacy, is, Whites are smarter than Blacks.” She further noted, “Although studies have proven that the latter is false and without merit, secretly, Whites still cling to this myth.”
For those who cling to the notion that intelligence is the result of genetic factors, this is nothing new. Traditionally, some groups are perceived as being smarter than others. In The Bell Curve, Murray and Hernstien ranked Asians as being the most intelligent race.
In accordance with their logistics, they assessed Asia and China as having the smartest inhabitants. And why shouldn’t they be smarter? Kids in Asian countries generally spend longer hours in school than Americans. But what about Blacks and Whites? Is there really an intellectual imbalance between the two races?
Coping with Racial Differences
In my travels down America’s Mean Streets, I am convinced that intelligence is simply a state of mind. Nonetheless, there are things about the intellectual skills of Blacks that disturbs me in comparison to other races. For example, I get discouraged when year after year I notice that few of the national spelling bee champions are Black. I also find myself getting upset, when I ask a 16-year-old to name the seven continents, only to have him respond sarcastically, “I don’t know.” Only to have a 12-year-old White youth recite them alphabetically, and in 15 seconds no less. Does that mean the 16-year-old has a lower IQ than the 12-year-old? Not necessarily. What it does mean, is that parents must embark on the awesome task of placing more emphasis on academics. Is that a thud I hear? Or the sound of brains evaporating from their idle cells?
I am also puzzled as to why African-Americans spend more time watching TV than reading. This is true of both children and adults. Such arrogant disregard for knowledge reminds me of a quote I once read: “If you control a man’s thinking, you control every fiber of his overall being.” Hello! Are you feeling me now?
Another theory involves environment. In homes where there’s an abundance of books, and everyone in the family is an avid reader, there is a strong possibility the child may develop a potent interest in learning. At the other end of the spectrum, if a child lives in a household where books are inaccessible, and reading is considered a chore rather than a pleasure, the child may show little interest in receiving a quality education.
But can intelligence be measured? Some people think so, while others argue it’s highly improbable. As for me, I say it’s all in the brain stem. There are smart Black folks and smart White folks. Feeble-witted Black folks and Feeble-witted White Folks. The only difference between them and us experts contend, is that when they pick up a book they read it from cover to cover, beginning with the Table of Contents and culminating with the Appendix. Whereas, Blacks maintain we pick up a book, simply to see if it’s worth browsing. Yes, I enjoy being in the company of smartness. Too bad the line is so short, and the good intentions a tad too long.
Peggy Butler is a freelance writer that specializes in topics that affect African-Americans. http://www.peggysbutler.com
twitter.com/peggybutler647
Our Legaci with J.A.M. Aiwuyor 