How do we define Blackness in this, the year 2017? Is it solely color of skin? I think not. In my estimation it is defined by persons, who are or have displayed a sense of dedication to Black folks, namely caring, concern and commitment when the opportunity was presented.
There are those of us who recall the Civil Rights Movement that took place in the ‘60s. It was the fashion to say, “Sing and shout, I’m Black and I’m proud!” Yes, untold numbers of us, who were former colored folks, and Negroes, began to refer to Africa as the Mother Land. We changed our hairstyles, wore African garbs and some of us even spoke phrases of Swahili. There were affairs you would be denied access to unless you were wearing a Dashiki, and we constantly referred to each other as my brother and sister. There were an unbelievable number of persons who changed their birth names to Free Names. Millions of us were active during this period of time and were jubilant as we marched, picketed, boycotted, while shouting, “Ain’t going to take it anymore.” There were those who were anti-Black who took issue when a Black American’s champion Malcolm X made the statement, “By any means necessary.”
There came a period of time that too many Blacks in their own minds became Super Blacks and began to look down on other Blacks and began to perceive us as Negroes, colored, and even n____as. These Super Blacks, for the first time in their lives, began to travel across the nation and became confused about their exaggerated sense of self-importance.
Blackness became a focus for persons running for elected positions such as ward chairpersons, Pennsylvania state representatives, Pittsburgh City Council, Pittsburgh School Board, but the great tragedy has been the overwhelming majority of those, who, once they get elected, discarded their false cloaks of Blackness and became open puppets for the political party they represent.
It is mandatory that those of us who profess to love ourselves, our families, our neighborhoods must become more concerned, more committed, and more involved in awarding and commending those who have proven to being TRUE BLACK CHAMPIONS and EXPOSE and PUNISH THOSE WHO WEAR FALSE FACES.
(Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a contributor to the New Pittsburgh Courier.)
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