Honest History
August 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sat in a Birmingham, Alabama jail and penned the most incredible letter to the eight white religious leaders of the South. During this historic period of unrest, Dr. King was an advocate of raising the bar above what had been a brutal display of force against protesters of inequality. He is quoted often saying, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The letter then goes into detail setting forth a campaign for his nonviolent stance and the process of what that entails. The four steps included: “collection of facts to determine whether injustices are alive, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action.” On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
In 1964, El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, known as Malcolm X, distanced himself from the powerful group he captivated with fiery speeches, the Nation of Islam. During one of his most historic speeches, he explained that it was thought that he would form what would be known as the “black nationalist party.” He spoke in depth about his pilgrimage to Africa and the holy city of Mecca. Malcolm X wanted to broaden his scope of the understanding of not only his Islamic faith, but understand the African people. The African culture had become more unified and gained more recognition for their independence than those in the United States. He is famously quoted by saying, “That’s our motto. We want freedom by any means necessary. We want justice by any means necessary. We want equality by any means necessary.” February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated in the Audubon Ballroom in New York.
Two different approaches to the same goals of ending systematic racism, police brutality, economic disparity, and equal protection under the law. The United States Constitution invites all humans to believe that this is a guarantee under the law. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” So why does Black America, in 2020, still have an uphill battle of being recognized as equal and not being murdered on national platforms by rogue police officers? The more sensitive question is what are we teaching our children?
During the recent events of senseless murders of three Black Americans, I have had the opportunity to hold some in depth discussions with my eighteen year old son. For a Black father, it is vital to be honest, candid, and descriptive in voicing our concerns for the safety and well-being of our children. I am first charged with being his protector. Even as him being a young adult, it is my instinct as a parent to shield him from dangerous avenues. In speaking with him daily, I educate him on the happenings of the current events and its relation to our past missteps. We compare thoughts of Dr. King, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, and Huey Newton. We talk about what works and what is deemed as unacceptable. This dialogue has forged a relationship of trust and understanding from us both.
Although we do not want to admit our faults to our children, it is important for us to have those honest conversations with them. This generation that we are raising are very impressionable by social media, technology, and labels. They have no sense of time because as fast as a trend begins, it is over with the next hashtag. Educating our children on the honest past is vital to where we are headed. Informing them of the dangers they face because of their skin color, challenges their awareness in all situations that may cause harm or exploitation. Making them aware of hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, protects them from the blinders of America’s education.
There is no right or wrong approach to how we handle racism. Dr. King and Malcolm X fought amazing battles. Their well documented journeys are forever engraved in history. Nevertheless, in raising our children, let us take an honest approach and recognize the entire spectrum of our constant fight for justice. Educate them as to why and show them how. “The revolution has always been in the hands of the young. The young always inherit the revolution,” said Huey P. Newton.
