A Concept whose Time is Now
Positioning Black Children for Success:
"I
want my children to be better than me;
to exceed me...."
My father frequently said, "I want my children to be better than me; to exceed me...." Not only did my father teach this, but most black parents taught their children this, even when they did nothing to further their children to that end.
This, simply put, is the notion of positioning in its simplest form. This simple form, however, is not a form that will produce any results worthy of attention. It is the more complete and thorough form that I am concerned about and that will counter much of the perpetual racism and discrimination in this society.
As a most recent survey has shown--and many other surveys on the subject have shown the same results--blacks will have to experience racism and its outer manifestation, discrimination, for a long time to come. The tragic fact of America is that racism and discrimination do not seem to wane. They survive, secretly festering and growing in the minds and hearts of many white Americans and are transmitted to many new immigrants.
As Samuel Johnson once said about patriotism, seemingly, racism is also the last refuge for the incompetent and fearful. Moreover, since they will remain in large numbers, so will racism and discrimination remain. Repeated surveys, studies, and reports conducted years after year in all fields of American endeavor that relate to race consistently point to the same continuing pattern--racism and hatred will not go away in America. Nor will they subside significantly; although racism may change its focus, white American racism is simply a staple of the unspoken philosophical value system of many white Americans.
Since this is a reality that seems to be ever present, how do we position our children to cope with and excel, in spite of this malady that will remain unabated? How do we position our children to exceed us, to excel us, and then to overcome and virtually master this American system in spite of its pathology and unabated racism? This is the challenge that we are faced with.
The Talented Tenth debate between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois was about positioning blacks immediately after slavery to gain acceptance in this society. (see article) But when we survey our progress today, the debate still remains about how to position blacks to exceed and to excel the opposition. The debate still remains on how to master this system which has so much opportunity yet so much opposition. The debate still remains on how to gain acceptance in this society--an acceptance that is fair and that does not demand a heavier load for blacks than others.
No success, however, is without opposition, regardless of opposition's source. That is the first principle to be considered. Opposition to progress is a lesson of nature--gravity pulls down on those who would go up; inertia holds still those who would go forward or move at all. Whereas this is a lesson for all, it is one that all black children should be as fluent with as they are fluent with their names, and it is one that parents should teach them and not leave this important teaching to another.
The second principle of positioning
that my father taught is that education is crucial to one's survival,
stability, and progress in life. This was reinforced by all parental
authorities in our house. We were taught constantly that education,
education, education was the value and coin of the realm of the American
society, and we were mandated to engage the process as vigorously as
the conditions demanded. My grandmother used to tell me as a young boy
that if I could read, I could never get lost.
It was a favorite saying of hers to me.
Frank A. Jones
Republished 7.25.05