We have to quit apologizing for being Black.
As I listen and read about the challenges we face as Black people, I am amazed that each step we take forward is accompanied by at least one apology for Black unity. We have to quit doing that. Perhaps we are affected by post traumatic stresses of slavery, or suffering identity crises, or feeling guilty about our “affirmative action position,” or feel we are the undeserving beneficiary of a set-aside program, or that we don’t belong and just got over because of a handout. Whatever the case, we need to examine our situation and formulate a way to move more of us forward without apology.
Among the factors militating against our unity are the countless apologies. We don’t want to seem to be too militant; we don’t want to be accused of reverse discrimination, or racism; we don’t want to seem ungrateful to our mainstream supporters; we don’t want to appear to be separatists; we don’t want to be accused of the same bias of our oppressors; we must treat others equal, even though we are treated unfairly. Often we make these apologies in subtle ways that we don’t even recognize, and therefore, our progress is limited. Instead of aggressively pursuing gains, we apologize for asking for too much, and make exceptions for the high achievers. So, when Blacks make progress in corporate America, they don’t aggressively seek to mentor and develop other Blacks. They view themselves as “first achievers” and as exceptions, not as pathfinders and conduits for others. That would be reverse discrimination, God forbid!
When we engage in these behaviors, we create among ourselves a view of “haves and have-nots.” This is sad, because collectively, we are all “have-nots.” Economic studies have shown that our relative wealth position has not changed since the end of slavery in the “land of opportunity.” By every measure – home ownership, education achievement, business success, community development, people living in poverty, employment – we have not made gains commensurate with our percentage of the population. Gains are being made by other ethnic groups – because of their unity and commitment to their ethnicity. Yet we still make apologies for the little progress we have made as others surpass us. We watch as the Eastern Indian businessmen make significant inroads in the hotel industry; we are helpless as the Arabs take over all the inner city gas stations and convenience stores in Detroit; we practically hand the Black hair care manufacturing and distribution industry to the Koreans; as our unemployment grows, Latinos are leapfrogging us into the building trades; immigrants of every stripe use the taxi industry and food services as launch pads for establishing an economic base (and a great way to learn to speak English in a hurry). Why aren’t African Americans helping one another make faster gains?
I have struggled with the riddle of underachievement among African Americans my entire life. I have watched closely as some of our African brothers and sisters (in Africa) have emerged from oppression to achieve accelerated progress, and seen that there are lessons we can learn that may help accelerate our progress. I believe that there are two critical factors that explain our position. At the risk of oversimplification, those two factors boil down to these: (1) The “haves” of this great nation of ours seek always to solidify their gains through unity; (2)African American “have-nots” have learned behaviors that amount to an apology for our progress. Then we distance ourselves from the few of us who make any progress at all. Whenever there are significant gains made, we negotiate away our strength to our detriment by “Apologizing for being Black.”
The Black rights movement for better schools and equal rights of the fifties and sixties became -- first the civil rights movement, then the minority rights movement, and got co-opted by the women’s rights movement, and now Black progress is mired in Diversity Programs. This pattern has resulted in a culture of apology. Now we have to apologize to every minority group -- women, gays and lesbians, the religious left, and the religious right – ad nauseam – before we can stand up and say, “What about Black rights?” Do we need affirmative actions programs? Yes. Should we apologize for them? No. We need to replace apology with pride and advocacy in our self-interests. We can begin by acting in our self-interests in our own communities.
I am not a social scientist, psychologist, political scientist, or Ph.D. in anything (there I go apologizing), but I have made some observations over my sixty years – all of them as a Black person – that I think are noteworthy. I read a lot. I have studied at the finest education institutions. I have worked at the top corporate enterprises. I have educated and uneducated friends and relatives. Many of us are guilty of unknowingly engaging in apologetic behavior. We must stop. Now.
I grew up in the sixties when James Brown ignited us with “Say it loud, I’m Black and I’m proud!” But other voices among us said, “Don’t be too loud, or too proud.” And the noise subsided along with our progress. Where do these apologists come from? Why do we allow them to impede our progress?
I am tired of apologizing for being Black. Once again, let’s “Say it Loud. I’m Black and I’m Proud.” After the pep rally, if you are interested in working together in our self-interests, contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Amandla!
