My reading of history indicates that in the period following American chattel slavery that it was common to find that the only literate person in the community was the local preacher. It was his ability to read that made him the liaison between whites and downtrodden blacks. This tradition of the preacher being the representative for Black America lasted for a full century as evidenced by the centrality of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to the modern civil rights movement.

It is difficult to argue against the fact that “Passa” has served as the spokesperson for Black America for far too long. If I did not know any better, I would be convinced that mastery of subjects from legal battles to history was an accompaniment to the “call” to preach.

There may have been a period when it was sensible for “Passa” to represent an illiterate and largely uneducated population surrounded by white terrorists such as the Ku Klux Klan and Knights of the White Camelia. The black preacher was called on to be a good shepherd by standing strong for the seemingly helpless sheep that relied on them for wise counsel and courageous leadership.

As I reviewed recent reports of a select group of Negro clergy members in Mansfield, Ohio, I could not find an ounce of courage or a mustard seed of faith. I am alluding to the Negro preacher’s public resistance to the recently proposed resolution to study the impact of institutionalized racism on the health of local blacks. As I pondered what I read, the voice of The Notorious B.I.G. whispered the following lyric into my ear. “Damn, things done changed.”

Although I was not totally surprised by the absence of wisdom and the unadulterated display of cowardice by Mansfield’s black “Passa’s” in the face of white power, I was still taken aback to see Reverend El Akuchie, a Negro preacher at Godsfield House of Prayer and the Executive Director of the Richland Community Prayer Network, scratch his head and buck his eyes as he reassured powerful whites by telling them to

Hush yo’ mouth regarding that doggone Black Lives Matter mess. No suh’, not here. Rest assured that I am on the case.

This good Negro Reverend did his best to assure local white powerbrokers that Black Lives Matter is a worthless political movement and anyone advancing black interests are scum.

I am sure that you agree that the only thing worse than a single Sambo preacher who dances to entertain whites the moment that they appear, is two such Negroes. You know the type of Negroes that I am speaking of. The type who is so afraid of whites that they will blame any and everything under the sun for black suffering other than discrimination, prejudice, bigotry, and institutionalized racism. According to this Negro, black suffering “…is spiritual and deals with the heart, period.” From all appearances, it appears that Mansfield has become a haven for Sambo preachers passing themselves off as “Passa’s”. As if the buck-dancing of El Akuchie was insufficient to quell the rapidly rising anger of local whites, here comes Elder Moe Hill to double-down on the initial Minstrel performers chicanery.

Minstrel Moe Hill of Grace Evangelical Free Church shudders to think what will become of the city, the nation, heck the world if any of the monies used to employ officers who have failed to serve as a significant deterrent to local crime is shifted into social services to aid Mansfield’s socioeconomically marginalized citizens; a move that would aid whites as well as blacks. According to the Negro Moe, “I do not want any part of this resolution if it leads to defunding the police. I adamantly oppose that.” The problem with “Elder” Moe’s position is that nowhere in the resolution is there a single call for the defunding of the police. Apparently, Negro Moe thought that he could curry more favor than El Akuchie by defending whites’ from invisible threats. In many ways, it is humorous that Sambo Moe is in such a rush to fight against anything that his infantile understanding of racial matters can conceive.

Equally puzzling is Negro Moe’s insistence that racism is not Black America’s problem. According to this preacher, the problem holding black folk back is sin. Apparently, the good Negro Elder believes that Black America’s salvation is found in them humbling themselves and returning to the Lord. Although I realize that he does not know any better, this Negro actually stated the following. “The root cause of racism is sin not skin. Society will continue having these issues until we finally seek Bible-based solutions.” I would love to ask this Negro how much more church and praying is needed for Black America to rise? His juvenile point is not only laughable but one of the most reliable signs of a Sambo preacher who is more afraid of white folk than he is of the God he proclaims to represent.

It is time that these Negro preachers take their own advice and return to God and ask for some semblance of courage when in the company of powerful whites. Passa, trust me when I say that the perspective of the vast majority of local whites will not become more favorable because you bow your head, shuffle your feet, and tell them “don’t worry boss, I’m on it. Ain’t gon’ be no darn racial mess here. We’s happy with da way things are.” You could even scratch your head as you display your patented cowardice and selective use of scripture; your oppressor’s view of you will never change.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

©Manhood, Race, and Culture, 2020.