by Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick, For New Pittsburgh Courier
It is often amazing and at times confusing the frequency that the term Black leader is used to describe a certain person, male and female. This week’s column asks which one are you acquainted with, or which one are YOU? There are five classifications below:
- Individual Accomplishments: If you, your parents or others who made sacrifices that were necessary for you to prepare yourself for the future. You paid attention in high school, graduated from college, earned a BA, MS, PhD and now you are employed by a major corporation. Eventually you are moved up the ladder of success and hopefully you can ensure that other Blacks are afforded the same opportunities. You have now moved up that proverbial ladder of success that that has eluded most Blacks, such as owner of major corporations, inclusive of chemical plants, National Football League, National Baseball Association, and National Basketball Association franchises.
- Gifted Orators: There are those who are born gifted orators and can spellbind people. Some who attend seminaries and become ministers can mesmerize others with the bible. In my personal life I have witnessed persons educated in the finest educational institutions in the world spellbind people with their verbal messages, but I have also witnessed persons with limited formal education be just as spell binding and speak without any prepared speech.
- Persons appointed through the political parties: Those who have no individual power but are mouth pieces for their bosses. These individuals are not reluctant to echo that they are servants of the party, and not servants to the people who elected them.
- Organizations funded by the establishment: It is almost totally impossible to complete the kind of positive changes that are mandatory because those who pay the piper can call the tune.
- Anointment by the media: The selective coverage of print, radio and television.
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