BHM’25: It’s Our Turn
Introduction
Our ancestors had to struggle to make Black History. Like Frederick Douglass said, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress,” and though I agree with Douglass, I wonder, “How long must we struggle for progress?” It’s frustrating to deal with the harsh reality that Amerikkka refuses to repent for the remission of its sins. Though some think we’re “Boo Boo the Fool” and want to convince us that this country has turned from its wicked ways, any thinking person knows that Amerikka is a backslider. So, I propose, in honor of Black History Month, that it’s now our turn to struggle for progress and make Black History.
I want to address an issue “We the Black People” have before I offer my three points. The issue is House Negroes who think systemic racism isn’t a problem. Remember when President Biden talked about rooting out systemic racism in his first address to Congress in 2021? His comment ignited a firestorm over whether Amerikkka is a racist country. Ironically, conservatives sent their Deputy House Negro, Senator Tim Scott, to give the Republican response to Biden’s address. This brother had the nerve to dismiss the veracity of systemic racism, declaring that:
Here me clearly: America is not a racist country. It’s backwards to fight discrimination with different types of discrimination, and it’s wrong to try to use our painful past to dishonestly shut down debates in the present.
A Black man redefining racial equity initiatives as reverse discrimination on behalf of Amerikkkans is crazy work because we know 1) it’s a false equivalency and 2) the past shapes the present. Maya Angelou said that, “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived; however, if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” With this in mind, we can boil Amerikkka’s problem to one point – it doesn’t have the courage to face its history. Therefore, it’s doomed to repeat it. Scott’s comments were self-serving because he ultimately launched a bid for president, claiming his family went from cotton to Congress. Can somebody tell him that tokenism isn’t a cause for celebration? In truth, Scott was just shuckin’ and jivin’ because, with all due respect, his family went from “Field Negroes” to “House Negroes.”
Though we’re certain to struggle as the legislative, executive, and judicial branches unwind progress - with support from House Negroes – now it’s our turn to make Black History. Keep in mind that the 1964 Civil Rights Act descends from a long lineage of civil rights acts dating back to 1866. Our previous struggles resulted in civil rights acts during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and now the twenty-first century calls for us to struggle once again. But don’t be dismayed. We will embrace the moment. We will develop a plan. And we will stand on business. So, how do we make Black History? There are three points I want you to consider:
We need to understand our enemy on a deeper level.
We need to find a common cause that inspires a critical mass.
We need to implement a proactive - not reactive - approach toward Black justice.
Point #1: We need to understand our enemy on a deeper level.
I believe social media has restricted our ability to engage in true intellectual exchange, which is necessary if we want to understand what we’re up against. We don’t talk to each other anymore. Instead, we talk at each other. As a result, social media has become an ego-centric space where the pursuit of attention, likes, and virality supersede intellectualism. In the age of misinformation and disinformation, we cannot afford to be surface-level thinkers. Posting black squares is cool, but in the spirit of Gil Scott-Heron, the revolution will not be posted. Facebook, X, Twitter, and I’ll add LinkedIn are not arenas where we can strategize for the next phase of the Black Freedom Struggle.
The Superbowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles is a case in point. The Eagles were clearly prepared for the game. They studied the film on the Chiefs, noted their tendencies, formulated a gameplan, and executed it with precision. The Chiefs, on the other hand, looked like they just showed up to the game and expected to win. Likewise, we must study our opponent, note their tendencies, formulate a gameplan, and execute it with precision, but that requires deep thinking and study. We cannot counter the enemy’s plays if we don’t know their propensities. That cannot be accomplished over social media. That can only be accomplished offline in the underground. We need to get together more and talk to each other because iron cannot sharpen iron virtually.
Point #2: We need to find a common cause that inspires a critical mass.
Throughout history, common causes have galvanized a critical mass of Black people. Slavery and Jim Crow were common causes because they directly impacted a critical mass. Even if Black people were “legally free,” there was an omnipresent threat of being kidnapped and sold into slavery. Just ask Solomon Northup. Furthermore, legal segregation during Jim Crow affected all Black people, irrespective of socioeconomic status. Colored water fountains were for all Black people without exceptions (unless they were passing). Therefore, slavery and Jim Crow motivated a critical mass to resist.
Although some thought we entered a post-racial society after the election of Barack Obama, it was really a post-illusion. Now we know that a Black president cannot save us from systemic racism. Like slavery and Jim Crow, we’re still in the same boat because systemic racism impacts all Black Americans whether they admit it or not. Still, our respective experiences vary, which complicates matters. Systemic racism’s impact on Black people drowning in poverty differs from Black people trying to stay afloat in the lower middle class. Its impact on the Black upper middle class varies from the Black upper class. We’re encountering the most difficult form of White supremacy because it’s more refined. Knowing this, we need to find a common cause that connects the poorest and richest Black people if we’re interested in Black liberty and justice for all. This is why we need to get together and talk to each other: We need to discuss and debate how we can unite the most Black people to develop a national framework that engages regional and local contexts. In other words, we need to get on the same page.
Point #3: We need to implement a proactive – not reactive – approach toward Black justice.
You may be asking, “Didn’t Black Lives Matter (BLM) galvanize Black people?” Yeah, it did, to an extent. BLM served a critical purpose; it brought systemic racism to the forefront. However, it was conceptualized as a reaction to police brutality. I believe this limited the movement because though it called for an end to systemic racism, its attackers successfully re-branded it as an anti-police and pro-crime movement. I understand why instances of police brutality incite people to flood the streets and resist, but at the same time, we cannot wait until the next high-profile case of police brutality goes viral to act.
Instances of police brutality can be recorded, but we don’t see the countless premature deaths Black people face because they had no access to nutritious food, breathed toxic air, or didn’t have access to quality medical care. These moments aren’t captured on camera because they’re private displays of systemic racism, unlike police brutality. We cannot only react when racism goes viral and the news media decides to cover it. Black people are dying daily from systemic racism. Therefore, we must develop a proactive approach because the devil and his demons are always working. They never stopped after slavery. They never stopped after Jim Crow. This is the reason why our federal government is unapologetically anti-DEI (anti-Black) – this country has a segment of people who will always despise racial equity and do whatever they can to keep their foot on our necks.
Conclusion
So, what are we going to do? Are we going to wave the white flag (pun intended) or make Black History like our predecessors? I suggest we embrace this moment, come together, develop a master plan, and stand on business like our ancestors. We may have lost the battle, but we haven’t lost the war. It’s our turn. If we get focused and understand our enemy’s plays, rally behind a common cause, and implement a more proactive approach, we will make Black History. We won’t get everybody because some brothers and sisters have decided to pledge their allegiance to Massa. But that is nothing new. We’ve always had House Negroes. In the words of Zora Neale Hurston: “All skin folk ain’t kin folk.”
~One Negro, 2/17/25