Black = Education-less?
 

Why is it perceived by our Black peers that in order to be an activist, "grass roots", or revolutionary for a specific cause, one cannot be educated? I participated in a Free Mumia! protest about 8 years ago in Philadelphia and was told that because I had advanced degrees that I've "lost touch" with my Blackness.... I assume he meant there was no way I could be in touch with the "masses" because in his mind, our struggles are not identical.

Little did this cat know that I am the daughter of a former Panther - who had her share of militantism in her early years. However, as I grew older, I changed my methods of fostering change. I still advocate rights for my people; I still video tape an arrest when ever a police officer pulls over one of my brothers/sisters; I still patronize black businesses before patronizing any others...I am still very afrocentric.....How dare he say I'm no longer "Black"?

And since when did being Black translate to being education-less? When Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale began the Black Panthers for Self-Defense, they were COLLEGE STUDENTS! Most protests that took place in America during the Civil Rights Era were led by College Students. Every "great" thinker around the world was educated (either formally or informally - citing Malcolm X who mastered the art of extemporaneous banter).

So I ask - where did this mindset begin? Was it the 80s? Why are we eager to frown upon each other when one of us attains a degree? Why is that tremendous feat regarded as disinterest in or removal from our Blackness?

I don't know if this is too deep for this forum, but your comments are certainly welcomed.

~Princess

This is something I see daily in my line of work. When I tell my young moms that:
1. I went to college
2. had a baby my junior year
3. went BACK to college AND worked AND am a single parent

they look at me like I grew two heads. I have a child to take care of, DAMN what anyone else says. If being edcuated (i.e, having a degree) makes me "white", then so be it. *shrug*

I refuse to let some small minded individuals, be they black or white, tell me that I am somehow "selling out" because I have a college education. I look in the mirror everyday and see my beautiful brown skin so how am I denying or ignoring my blackness? My parents sacrificed (out of state tuition, anyone?), my grandparents sacrificed so that I could go to college. Why would I let them down? Why would I let myself down by not getting an education?

Again, GTFOOHWTBS.

*claps*

I went through this as a teen- people who just couldn't understand my goals and thought it meant I was trying to be white. I was just trying to be employed and not-broke at a later date, lol.

It seems like most succesful African-American (I specify because most of the first-generation West Indian kids I know have NOT gone through this nearly as much, since for most of us we were born in this country with the expectation that we were here to do well and get an education) folks my age have gone through/are STILL going through this kind of thing.

I am so confused as to how it got to this point- it was only 50 years ago that black people had to FIGHT to get any education, FIGHT to be able to vote, and now it seems like the culture is shunning the people who are still fighting to attain those things.

Enough Said!!!

This mindset (education = selling out or losing touch) is really a combination of a lot of factors - I don't think there is one or two causes, but I do think there are some HUGE influences into this mindset.

One of those influences has to do with the importance of athletics (or a rapper) over education as the only means to be successful or as a way to a better life. It is also these same athletes that are used as "realistic" role models in our community.

Another factor is the fact that unlike our parents time, successful and educated people that look like us primarily do not live in our neighborhoods anymore. So even if you parents did not attend college (or maybe didn't believe in higher education) you were still able to see and interact with those that did.

I think this lack of faces that look like you in addition to only seeing faces that do not look like you does affect you.

Ok, ya'll are getting off the chain with these acronyms.
SC

Sorry... didnt want to type
get the freak out of here with that bull isht....lol..

You know:

I was sitting here thinking about the converse of my situation and I have to admit that it's bad on both sides - just as a soror commented in the Omega Room. You get to a point where you find you're not "accepted" (for the lack of a better term) by either side. I'll never forget when a soror stood up during a forum and asked me, "Who gave you the right to speak on my behalf?" I couldn't understand that type of question, based on the fact I was fighting to get MLK Day observed at our University. Somehow, she felt I was taking away her right to speak because I assumed that all Black people wanted MLK Day off. My reaction? "Wooow"!

So you're right - you will never please everyone. I was perceived by my college peers as too black - and by my militant peers as not black enough.

Why can't I be both? Ya feel me?

I appreciate your responses!

I think the mindset of our people mimick the mindset of the environment we come from. What alot of people don't realize is the knowledge or lack of is what stirs our action. Alot of people feel that you become a different person after college. Truth be told you do however that is called growth and it is apart of live in general.

I ran into this same stuff when I went to college and would come back for breaks. People including, family would say you changed, or you not down with us anymore. It got to the point where education was isolating me. After a while I realized that if I needed to stay true to who I was and later for everything else. I think it is part of our re-education!! :D

Whew I've said all that to say we are complex and you can be militant, educated, classy, a homebody all at the same time if you feel like it!;)

*applause*
What she said.

So, to be black and down is to be stagnant? :confused: Is that the arugment, rhetorically speaking?

Let's get this thread merged with the one Soror placed in the Omega forum. Is that possible? LOL.

(If not, I guess the one that I didn't post in should be deleted. :p )

That's what's up! I'll respond to the matter at hand tomorrow when my mind's right. ;)

DST....I sent a message to Doggystyle when I realized what I'd done.....I'm already two steps ahead of you.

This is the same mindset that is causing our children to 'dumb down' in grade school. I always reiterate to my children that good grades and education gives you CHOICES. Many of us just don't get it...

I like that. It's all about placing yourself in a position to have CHOICES!