12 Things as Negroes We DID NOT DO for Ourselves! Pt. I

Cover of Martin Luther King, Jr.

On this past Monday, most of the nation celebrated the birth of one of the great civil rights leaders of our time, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Profile pictures changed, and status updates of his quotes and other remembrances commemorating the occasion on Facebook & Twitter were plentiful. But I wondered why I didn't feel compelled to join in.

As I thought about it, I realized Dr. King would not be pleased to know his many years of labor did nothing to yield the harvest his marching, his speaking and ultimately his death exemplified. Instead in many communities, his name is synonymous with the "Boulevards" where a ghetto mentality is alive and prospering, and quite the opposite of what his message intended.

I remembered Dr. King in my own way on Monday. I also relived the sadness I felt when I learned of his death. Then I thought about how disappointed and even angry he'd feel if he were here to witness the condition of today's society.

Yes we have a President of Color, but in the scheme of things, how does that compare with what's going on in YOUR neighborhoods?

With all that in mind, I didn't see much reason to Celebrate!

A Couple of weeks ago, I had a discussion on my Facebook page about the "N" word and the behavior associated with it. If you're on Facebook you may be able to read the responses to my status update of December 29, 2010 where I wrote:

I think we got this whole "N" word thing backwards! They've been campaigning for a few years now to BURY the WORD....had ceremonies, marches & ere'thang!

But I been thinking MAYBE, if we BURY the BEHAVIOR the WORD will follow suit!

What you think, or is that too much to hope for?

http://www.facebook.com/SistersInSuccess#!/praiZe/posts/123155604418529

This morning I rose early as usual and found out I'd been added to a group dedicated to Saving Black Youth by Jay Earley. I have a great concern for the young people of today, black or otherwise, as evidenced by an article I wrote 23 years ago When Did We Lose Control, which was the spring board to the Quite AParent Organization. However before I had a chance to thank him for adding me to the group, my eyes fell on an article written by one Nannie Helen Burroughs, and it has changed the entire course of my day.

This manifesto entitled "12 Things The Negro Must Do For Himself" Brillantly summarizes some of the problems that have been the root cause of the breakdown in our esteem, our families and our worth as a people. This Bold and Passionate Visionary foresaw and penned this outline perhaps 90+ years BEFORE Dr. King ever had his dream.

I don't know if this version of the article has been altered from its original state, and to me, that doesn't matter. But what I do know is this piece should be prominently displayed in the homes, on the dashboards, and in the ipods of EVERY NEGRO in the land IMMEDIATELY...and rehearsed and committed to memory....Lest We Forget!






I can tell by the way Ms. Burroughs wrote this article, her intended audience was Male, as she refers to the Negro as He and Him. The NATURAL ORDER, at that time in history, MEN lead the household, and the Women and Children took their leadership and guidance from him.

ANYTIME NATURAL ORDER becomes Out of Order, there is bound to be CHAOS and Confusion.

So for your consideration, I ask you to journey with me over the next 3 days to discuss Ms. Burroughs article: 12 Things The Negro Must Do for Himself! Here are Items 1 - 5

12 Things The Negro Must Do For Himself
by Nannie Helen Burroughs
(Circa Early 1900's)


1. The Negro Must Learn To Put First Things First. The First Things Are:
Education; Development of Character Traits; A Trade and Home Ownership.

The Negro puts too much of his earning in clothes, in food, in
show and in having what he calls 'a good time.' The Dr. Kelly Miller
said, 'Th e Negro buys what he WANTS and begs for what he needs.'


2. The Negro Must Stop Expecting God and White Folk To Do For Him What He Can Do For Himself.

It is the 'Divine Plan' that the strong shall help the weak, but
even God does not do for man what man can do for himself. The Negro will
have to do exactly what Jesus told the man (in John 5:8) to do -- Carry his
own load -- 'Take up your bed and walk.'

3. The Negro Must Keep Himself, His Children And His Home Clean And Make
The Surroundings In Which He Lives Comfortable and Attractive.

He must learn to 'run his community up' -- not down. We can
segregate by law, we integrate only by living. Civilization is not a
matter of race, it is a matter of standards. Believe it or not -- some day,
some race is going to outdo the Anglo-Saxon, completely. It can be the
Negro race, if the Negro gets sense enough. Civilization goes up and down
that way.

4. The Negro Must Learn To Dress More Appropriately For Work And For
Leisure.

Knowing what to wear -- how to wear it -- when to wear it and where
to wear it, are earmarks of common sense, culture and also an index to
character.

5. The Negro Must Make His Religion An Everyday Practice And Not Just A
Sunday-Go-To-Meeting Emotional Affair.

Although her message was specifically targeted to the Negro, and I'm dealing with it from that angle for purposes of this blog, This is a message that can be adapted to any individual no matter race, color, creed or gender.

I'd love to hear your thoughts of how we can incorporate and infuse this truth into our daily lives. If we think individually, instead of collectively, it CAN BE DONE!


If you can't reply directly to the blog, join the conversation on our pages:

http://facebook.com/SistersInSuccess
http://facebook.com/QuiteAParent
http://facebook.com/SingleSis

Thanks for reading and I'll be back tomorrow with PT II Items 6 - 10.

blessings,

praiZe