Raising Cultural Pride

With February being Black History Month, it begs the question to call attention to the successes Blacks have made in various professions and ways they have proved themselves notable. This year a little more thought went into how to bring attention to the career inroads made by pioneering Blacks.

For a person involved in diversity issues, it's prudent to do comparisons and take note of how each ethnic group draws attention to its positive traits. For example, some ethnicities have successfully gained empathy for their situations and grown from a position of underlings. One group are Jews especially because of the atrocities their ancestors suffered in the Holocaust. Mexicans distinguish themselves through their developments various forms of art. The Chinese and Japanese (Buddhists) gain distinction in two ways: their reputation for having a quiet disposition and their skills in mastery of martial arts, one feeding on the other.

However, it doesn't seem to make a difference into what age we've advanced because Blacks still suffer from the negative stereotypes developed in the 18th and 19th Centuries. They still need to make huge efforts to overcome being judged by the color of their skin. (Mind you, Arabs and Muslims are now suffering similar discriminations but the bases are tied to fear of having a terrorist in the house.)

Compounding the state of affairs for Blacks was the rise of Jim Crow laws and practices in the Reconstruction South, cultural practices of the Antebellum South, and an attitude toward those with darker skins tones that grew out of quite surprising roots. As we learned from Ancestry.com's "Who Do You Think You Are?" series, coloreds and Negroes were not considered to be people; they were not even thought of as humans.

Research shows time and time again that people of this race were routinely treated as children would be. Someone else, usually the slave owner, would make decisions for them or become their mentor in some business dealings or endeavors. Many had the opinion that the people were poorly educated, if at all (a throwback to the practice of not allowing slaves to be educated nor learn to read) and therefore had poor comprehension skills. It didn't matter that there were Negroes who had attended some of the most distinguished Ivy League universities and graduated with honors in their disciplines. Their names and accomplishments faded into the background until some stalwart seekers researched the matters.

Time moved forward but the equitable treatment of Blacks did not. Enter the Civil Rights Era when Martin Luther King, Jr., basing his steps toward full integration for Negroes and others on the principles of non-aggression (adopted from Ghandi's teachings), the "proper," conservative coloreds made herculean efforts to not be seen as violent savages in order to win their point. On the other hand were the radical Blacks, such as the Black Panthers and members of the early stages of American Islam, who fomented hate for hate and wore Afro hairdos, in part a statement of defiance and in part a statement of self acceptance and pride.

Throughtout the years there have been stories of the persecutions suffered by slaves and the race. In some cases, these stories paralleled those of the Jews during many of their histories. But Blacks appeared to throw these atrocities into the faces of their audiences without the benefit of lessons about their strengths and accomplishments.

As I said at the beginning of this article, this state of looking at other races and ethnicities and how they've fashioned their cultural accomplishments of one type and another into acceptance and celebration, it made me want to look at how similar stories could be told about the Black (Mother) race. I remembered the research that I did last year in order to bring snippets of Black history to a retirement community throughout the month of February, Black History Month, in order to fulfill the request to do so.

That research brought out some little-known information about American Negroes. Initially it was difficult to understand why some of the history and accomplishments have slipped into oblivion. However, celebrating these accomplishments and showing that they were the means to creating a platform for success would do two things. First, it would reveal the secret to attainment and thus carve out a means of subterfuge and destruction. Second, it would develop a way of thinking that people who are part of the race have no other natural talents. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Women in the field of early science used their traditional roles as hairdressers for the mistress to gain traction in creating cosmetics, formulating chemicals for makeup, hairdressing products, better ways to put curls in or straighten them out. Others were seamstresses who not only cut the cloth and sewed, adding the small touches to give the clothing style and flair, but also the ones to work the fine details. They were the ones who listened as the mistress mused or complained or bragged and responded accordingly. Black women were in the kitchen making some of the family traditional dishes as well as creating masterpieces that sated guests at balls and grand dinners.

These were the nannies who tended the babies and children. To the extent allowed, they taught the children obedience, respect, customs and essentially became tutors who spontaneously adapted their teaching styles to the situation at hand.

The men were noted most for being barbers, preachers, and educators. Again, not only communication but listening skills were paramount to being successful. It was very important to be good at negotiation in order to work out various types of matters. And diligence in all matters showed the grist of a good worker no matter what or where the labor. In all cases, one's discretion was the key to moving forward.

We now have large numbers of legislators, judges, scientists, and other professions with more than exceptional members of the Black race (from some part of the African diaspora). I have not taken the time to try to research their climbs to success and the stumbling blocks that were part of their path. I don't doubt that those impediments only made each person the better warrior and representative of their industry's expertise. They quietly do their work and excel at it without making waves.

Is that the example, then, that we need to learn this year during Black History Month? Just be good at what you do. Do it quietly and do it with distinction for the quality that's delivered. The trouble with that version of the lesson is that having something done quietly means no one will lift the ivy wreath of success to press it onto the head of the one who deserves it; it will fade into the shadows and few will be aware of the magnitude.

In the alternative, do the work to the nth degree of integrity and expertise. Do it to the best of your ability. Then improve upon that. Make it an example of something done in a workmanlike manner. The rest will speak for itself as others repeat the story in the right places and word spreads.

NOTE: My sincerest gratitude to Geoff Boxell, fellow writer and history aficionado, for the history of Blacks in Britain.

Diversity Training - Knowing Where to Start

It was less than a month after becoming part of the retirement community for what is supposed to be final recuperation and then whatever comes next. However, the signs of problems became more obvious and increasingly profound. The facility is in dire need of diversity training. There need to be focused discussion about race relations and equal treatment. The awareness of domestic violence and handling the issues of the abuse -- whether physical, verbal, economic, or psychological -- need to be brought up several levels and surpassing mere elder abuse.

The other matter that provided evidence of the profound need for attention is the fact that several key employees (who are guilty of the offensive, disparate behavior) are not native Americans. Instead, they are immigrants. A few others are so young that the Civil Rights Movement isn't even in their vocabulary, let alone a true appreciation of what the term means. It was merely a section of their Social Studies class that they memorized and then forgot in order to get the grade of "A" or "B" in the class and then move on. Still others who are immigrant employees merely want to avoid making waves and overlook situations that need handling. Their philosophy is "Don't make a big deal" about it.

The most telling situation was at the February 5 Activities Committee meeting. The Director of Activities and her assistant rattled off a list of things that would be done for the month of February. One of them was recognition of President's Day by way of a re-enactment of a speech by Thomas Jefferson. The month's activities was read and explained and then stopped. There was absolutely nothing said about recognizing Black History Month.

The interesting thing about the Activities omission was the fact that on January 27, the Chaplain had asked that I deliver the sermon for the worship service in February in honor of Black History Month. The recognition was not going to be isolated to merely one service. Chaplain had the insight and foresight to realize the significance of the event. She wanted acknowledgement of Black history and achievements throughout the month. My presentation of moments in Black history at each worship service throughout the month of February was the anticipated contribution.

The President of the Residents' Association also perceived the importance of Black History Month recognition as well as use of capable talent. She asked that I deliver an inspirational at both the Sunday midday and evening meals starting in February and continuing from then on. February could focus on Black History but she wanted someone to handle delivering the inspirational or blessing for each meal.

These two requests were encouraging. They represented the fact that there is awareness and sensitivity to many of the issues impacting the community. They also represented the fact that there is an undercurrent seeking increased support and momentum to begin setting the example of acceptance and appreciation not only in word but also in action. The positive foundation was laid.

It was easy to determine where to start in recognizing Black History. Start by talking about how it started and why. Recognize and remind of the fact that the acknowledgement and celebration has not always been a full month of activities. In fact, it has been slightly over 100 years that recognition has even existed. It used to be only one week in the shortest month of the year.

The next important issue was to recognize not just the traditional, well-known names in Black history but to call attention to the other significant people and their contributions to the richness of our American culture. But that also was not sufficient. Names can quickly be forgotten. A brief five minute talk is nothing more than a distraction. Appreciation of the struggles and sacrifices that witnessed and became the reason the inroads and successes were significant were also needed.

Perhaps remembering the 1950s peaceful demonstrations, over and above Rosa Parks' momentous bus ride, are also needed for laying the proper groundwork toward positive change. In just 50 years, it appears we have forgotten the integration of schools, the fire hose and police dog attacks on well-groomed peaceful marchers, the peaceful lunch counter demonstrations that became the catalysts of positive change and acceptance.

Yes, those appear to be the right starting points. The most critical of all of it is the awareness and support of the community management. Fortunately, although there is not awareness of how pitiful the acceptance is and how lacking the practice, there is a desire to be among those counted and exemplary of being a healthy environment. The important first step is recognizing that there is a problem. The next step is identifying the type and degree of the issue. Next is developing the proper strategy to cause appreciative modification and change. And finally comes constant reinforcement.

Diversity training, as with any other type of behavior modification and development, takes teamwork and diligence, in addition to realizing that it must be started and then doing so.

Viva