Category Archives: Black Women

African-American Males, African-American Men, African-American Women, Black Girls, Black Males, Black Women, EDUCATION, Manhood, Race, and Culture Interactive, MRCi, RACE

Mental Health in the Black Community: Strategies for Being Black and Sane While Craziness Swirls Around You

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Please join MRCi (Manhood, Race, and Culture interactive) tonight (October 15, 2020) at 7:30 (EST) — 6:30 pm (CST) for an important program on Mental Health in Black America.

Mental Health practitioner Sister Misty Chanel Pruitt will present via Zoom on Mental Health in the Black Community: Strategies for being Black and Sane While Craziness Swirls Around You. Please join us to learn strategies to keep you sane in the midst of everyday craziness.

The program begins tonight at 7:30 (EST) — 6:30 pm (CST). Please click here to join us.

African-American Males, African-American Men, African-American Women, Black Males, Black Men, Black Women, RACE

Exhibit 284: Why Athletic Prowess Does Not Prepare A Person to be a Political Commentator (The Case of Sir Charles Barkley)

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It is a joy to watch what W.E.B. Du Bois characterized as the dawning of racial consciousness among my students. Now, I am not saying that it is not until my students enter my class that they become aware of race or racial identity. Such an assertion would be foolish. For many of my students, Introduction to African-American Studies is the first time they have seriously considered race, class, activism, and identity.

During a recent discussion, one of my brilliant students opened the conversation with an interesting quip.

I wonder what things would be like today if we still had leaders like we used to.

I responded in the following manner.

Well, you do have Lebron James commenting on these matters.

A phalanx of students erupted in unison with an overwhelming

“C’mon, Dr. Jones. Lebron? Who is he to be our leader?”

Of course, my rebuttal regarding the absence of suitable leadership for Black America was a facetious quip intended to provoke thought within my young charges.

It would be an understatement to say that I was incredibly proud of my students for raising the pressing issue of what a Black leader should be and ought to do. Are there qualifications to become a spokesperson for Black America? Or is it something that you are anointed by some unidentified source to do?

It appears that there is a correlation found between fame and the rise of Black leaders. Unfortunately for Blacks, the alluded to fame flows from God-given abilities, not study. One needs to look no further than the personas that appear on national newscasts to discuss critical racial matters that take decades of study to comprehend. One’s ability to sing, jump, run, or dunk a ball through a metal hoop has nothing to do with one’s ability to issue productive commentary regarding this nation’s centuries-long racial problems.

This issue of athletes and entertainers serving as spokespersons for the race is nothing new. History dictates that the most reliable path to being a nationally known expert on race is to record a song about possessing a “Wet Ass Pussy” or becoming a notable professional athlete.

It is the history mentioned above that fed my non-response to Charles Barkley’s emergence as a political commentator some years ago. Yes, the same Charles Barkley, who reminded us in a long-forgotten 1993 commercial that he was not a role model.

I am not a role model. I’m not paid to be a role model. I’m paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models. Just because I dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.

My how things have changed; during the past twenty-five years, we have witnessed sports figures such as Charles Barkley reverse the downplaying of their importance regarding matters that occur beyond the playing-field to pursuing every opportunity to comment on critical political issues. If I did not know any better, somebody could convince me that the path to being a political commentator or cultural critic was notoriety as a professional athlete.

In the wake of the Grand Jury verdict that exonerated Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove for their actions during a no-knock raid of Breonna Taylor’s dwelling, Sir Charles Barkley opined the following in front of millions of viewers.

I don’t think this one was like George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery and things like that. I feel sad that this young lady lost her life…But I am worried to lump all these situations in together.

And I just feel bad that the young lady lost her life. But we do have to take into account that her boyfriend shot at the cops and shot a cop. So, like I say, even though I am really sorry she lost her life, I just don’t think we can put this in the same situation as George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery.

After hearing Barkley’s commentary, I marveled at how he managed to be so comprehensively wrong. The answer to how he managed this feat is simple, Charles Barkley, much like his athletic peers, has neither qualification nor the abilities to address such pressing matters.

Barkley’s dim-witted assertion that the murder of Breonna Taylor was different from the deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery would be laughable if it were not heard by so many around the globe. Make no mistake about it, the insistence of brilliant Black writers such as Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou that words are powerful entities is a lesson that is largely lost on the recent crop of Black political pundits and culture critics who have been booked for appearances by media outlets such as ESPN, Fox, MSNBC, and CNN. Their absence of understanding and ability to form a persuasive argument is a missed opportunity that retards Black advancement.

These unfortunate developments remind me of esteemed historian Dr. John Henrik Clarke’s words. Clarke asserted that outsiders had taken over the Black movement with little genuine interest in Black liberation. According to Dr. Clarke, we now have Hollywood revolutions that are akin to the lights, camera, and action moments commonly found on a blockbuster movie set.

I guess that the Last Poet’s prophecy that “the revolution will not be televised” is proving correct. One needs to look no further than the set of “Inside the NBA” and listen to the commentary of Charles Barkley for confirmation that there is always some Black fool willing to receive a King’s ransom from working against Black interests by talking loud and saying absolutely nothing.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

© Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

African-American Girls, African-American Males, African-American Men, African-American Women, Black Girls, Black Males, Black Men, Black Women

What A Cursed Day September 23rd Has Become: Reflections on Emmett Louis Till and Breonna Taylor

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Although it would be psychologically comforting to consider court decisions that found the lynchers of Emmett Louis Till (1955) not guilty and the murderers of Breonna Taylor (2020) not responsible for her death were handed down on the same day are coincidental. The truth of the matter is that like so many other days in America’s history, September 23rd has revealed itself as a cursed day for Blacks; a day that makes other ominous dates such as Friday the 13th look like child’s play.

Freedom loving Americans must never forget that on September 23rd, 1955, an all-White jury found half-brothers Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam not guilty of a heinous crime that they later confessed to. Sixty-five years later on the same cursed day, Americans should remember that a grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, notified the nation that law enforcement officers Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove would not face trial for their actions on March 13th that resulted in Breonna Taylor’s death.

The cursed day of September 23rd illuminates much about racial inequality and injustice in America.

Although difficult to comprehend, Emmett Louis Till, lynched while visiting family in Money, Mississippi, was closer to receiving justice than Breonna Taylor would ever be sixty-five years later. One can only think that at least Till’s killers faced some semblance of a trial. The grand jury decided that a trial was not even a necessity for Breonna Taylor’s killers. The realization that justice was a more distant possibility for Taylor in the new millennium than it was for Till sixty-five year ago in Mississippi is a startling reality.

Those who ignore the events of September 23rd to extend their power guarantees that similar tragedies will continue for decades, if not centuries. It is ironic that those who perpetrate such atrocities have been allowed to cloak themselves in an ill-fitting suit of patriotism. This seemingly impenetrable coat of armor provides them with an unrivaled ability to accuse their opponents of seeking to destroy the nation. In the bizarre world that they have constructed, these self-proclaimed patriots promote themselves as advocates for the freedom, justice, and democracy articulated by the Founding Fathers.

When viewed through an appropriate lens, it becomes obvious that flag toting White Nationalists are the equivalent of Benedict Arnold’s who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that American principles will never be extended to all citizens. Despite their fervent protestations, it is the misdeeds of White Nationalists that ensures America’s historic racial divide remains.

Ultimately, one is left with no other choice than to question what do those opposing racial justice desires? This question is particularly poignant when one considers that the American historical record indicates that their kind has monopolized every seat of power from politics to economics.

I ask again, what more do they want, need, or desire?

If I were a betting man, I would wager that the White Nationalists in our midst are devoid of a reasonable answer as they have never considered such questions. Yet, there is no denying that America’s race problem has its genesis within White America. Hence, it should be understood that the solution to this centuries-old problem begins in that locale. This reality seemingly escapes well-meaning Whites who have chosen to join Blacks during boisterous protests through the nation.

If provided the opportunity to address the aforementioned well-meaning White activists, I would advise them to return home. If this battle against racism is to be won, they must attack it at its root; inside of White America. This pernicious socially constructed evil oozes from their homes, their civic organizations, small businesses, and the political decisions made by their local, state, and national political leaders.

Well-meaning White activists need to learn the adage that one must always seek to work smarter, not harder. The most powerful move that they could make at this moment is to abandon an antiquated playbook of joining oppressed people expressing their angst in American streets in favor of a new plan that directs their energies toward their white countrymen who have yet to learn that at the present moment the most appropriate measure of patriotism are unyielding attempts to ensure that freedom, justice, and equality are extended to all Americans.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

© Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2020.

Black Girls, Black Women, RACE

From Dred Scott to Breonna Taylor: Blacks Still Have No Rights that Whites are Bound to Respect

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Although I expected that the Grand Jury hearing evidence in the murder of Breonna Taylor murder would not deliver serious charges against what amounts to a hit squad, the resurfacing of an always present injustice through my soul into such a spiral that the only comfort that I could find was playing John Coltrane’s Alabama on repeat; it is still playing nearly twenty-four hours after the announcement.

Jazz aficionados will tell you that John Coltrane composed this riveting musical eulogy in response to the September 15, 1963, bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church by the Ku Klux Klan in Birmingham, Alabama. The bombing killed Addie Mae Collins (14), Cynthia Wesley (14), Carole Robertson (14), and Carol Denise McNair (11); yes, it is important that we say their names as well. Each of these African-American girls is as blameless for the white terrorist attack that took their lives as Breonna Taylor.

Experience has taught me that it is crucial to my sanity and the maintenance of my soul that I release emotions through writing. This posting is at the very least a desperate attempt to make sense of what has occurred and place it within a larger historical context. While reflecting on what all of this means and what I could say about it, my mind came to rest on U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney for reasons that I hope to explain below.

Chief Justice Taney is best remembered as the writer of the U.S. Supreme Court decision for the case Dred Scott v. John Sanford (1857). According to Taney, Thomas Jefferson’s words that “all men were created equal” were never intended to cover persons of African descent. In essence, Blacks were not and never could be citizens of this white nation. Making matters worse was the assertion that Black people had no rights that any White man, woman, or child had to respect.

The continuing spirit of Taney’s words should be apparent to all during these moments after the Grand Jury’s decision to not charge any of the three marauding officers for their actions in the death of Breonna Taylor; the only charges being issued are three counts of wanton endangerment against Officer Brett Hankison for shooting into neighboring apartments during the March 13th raid. Hankison’s bond was set at a paltry $15,000 for his offenses against the drywall of the neighboring units.

If I did not know any better, I would swear that U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney’s spirit guided the Grand Jurist as they made this inexcusable decision to not even issue charges so that a formal trial could occur.

The daunting message that the same bigotry that guided Taney in the 19th Century still remains in the new millennium is clear to all who are courageous enough to view it. The same racial bigotry and institutionalized racism crafted by the Founding Fathers as they birthed this questionable democracy remains to this moment.

When all of these factors are considered together, it is obvious that Taney’s Dred Scott vs. John Sanford opinion that Blacks have no rights that any White man, woman, or child are bound to respect remains the rule of law to this very moment. And there does not appear to be a darn thing that anyone can do about it.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

© Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2020.

Please join us tonight (Thursday, September 24th) as we discuss this heartbreaking issue at 7:30 EST / 6:30 CST. Click here to gain access to the Zoom meeting.

 

 

 

Black Girls, Black Popular Culture, Black Women, Hip-Hop Culture, Rap Music

Why The Scuttlebutt About Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion is Nothing New aka What is the Most Reliable Path for Black Women to be Noticed

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One of the many benefits of teaching at an HBCU is that it forces you to remain abreast of popular culture trends. There is rarely a week that passes that some new “trend” reminds me that I am now a middle-aged man who has almost, I do emphasize almost, seen it all. Although I would love to say that the cultural factors that shaped my childhood are long gone. The truth of the matter is that they remain present. When I see today’s youth culture, I am reminded of rapper Q-Tip of a Tribe Called Quest who offered the following brilliance in the song Excursions.

Back in the days when I was a teenager

Before I had status and before I had a pager

You could find the Abstract listening to hip hop

My pops used to say, it reminded him of be-bop

I said, well daddy don’t you know that things go in cycles

The way that Bobby Brown is just ampin’ like Michael

Prior to the global pandemic’s arrival, there was rarely a day that I was not reminded that my generation, the creators of Hip-Hop Culture, have been pushed from the center stage by younger African-Americans.

Let me be honest about this situation, there is regret and bitterness that afflicts every generation when their time under the spotlight ends. This moment breeds regret regarding things that you wish could have been said, attempted, or accomplished. If one is not careful, you will find yourself steeped in a self-promoting generational warfare battle that you are bound to lose.  I have done my absolute best to not participate in intra-racial cultural wars that ultimately paint me as some miser whose present is marred by an envious view of these anonymous historically and culturally illiterate kids who lead Hip-Hop Culture today.

Trust me when I say that the urge to denounce black youth culture is omnipresent, in fact, it often appears that young African-Americans are begging us to do such.

The latest invitation to criticize today’s hip-hop generation arrived via the imagery and video of rappers Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. If it can be stated that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” the referenced photo communicates a host of things that generations of black folk have fought against with all their might. We must never forget that although black men have been socialized within a white patriarchal society that there are many who possess enough wisdom and courage to take definitive action to protect black women who Malcolm X characterized as “the most disrespected person on the planet.”

Considering that I am one of the black men who have dedicated much of their lives to protecting and uplifting black women, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion could present a dilemma that revolves around a question of should that type of black woman be protected by black men. Keep in mind that I said COULD present quite a dilemma. In actuality the dilemma is non-existent.

The historically literate in our midst realize that the imagery and message being promoted by some record company for profit is not much different than previous rap songs and videos such as Luther Campbell’s Scarred, Too Short’s Blowjob Betty, Ying Yang Twins Wait, Ludacris What’s Your Fantasy, Missy and Ludacris One Minute Man, Khia My Neck My Back, 2 Live Crew We Want Some Pussy & Pop that Pussy, and the list goes on and on.

We all should understand that imagery matters. So, regardless of how you consider the marketing campaign surrounding Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, it is impossible to argue against the assertion that this presentation matters. Some blacks are cringing at the imagery because they believe that it verifies bigoted whites’ stereotypes of Black America. I will tell you the truth, I am unconcerned with outsiders’ view and belief systems that never fail to amplify occurrences of ignorance while ignoring more plentiful moments of black excellence.

My concern is focused on the impact that negative hip-hop images and messages have on emerging generations of black boys and girls devoid of effective parental supervision and guidance. Let’s keep in mind that they are both digesting these images. The haunting words of James Baldwin remind us that

Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.

Equally important is the unfortunate reality that it is Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion who stand at the forefront of debates surrounding black women. They are certainly black women, however, they are far from a fair representation of black womanhood.

CARDI 1

Nevertheless, the centerstage status of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion has once again muted the genius and incalculable ingenuity of black girls and women that I know. At a moment where it appears that Presidential hopeful Joe Biden is poised to select a black woman as his running mate, Black America is engrossed in criticism regarding a cultural expression that is far from new.

Such developments leave me with no other reasonable conclusion than the following one. If black women really want to be heard, intelligence is not the most reliable path. A more productive path appears to pattern themselves after black cultural icons such as Lil Kim, Khia, and Foxy Brown; put simply, they should use their physical attributes to get what they want. After all, that is the message that men, regardless of race/ethnicity, have given to black women throughout the annals of time.

So, in the words of UGK,

Let me see it, let me see it

Let me see it, let me see it

Let me see it, let me see it

Let me see it, bend over and let me see it

Let me see it, let me see it

Let me see it, let me see it

Let me see it, let me see it

Bend over and let me see it

If you do that, I guarantee you that you will be ushered to center stage and the world will notice you.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2020.