Booker T. Washington quoted that, “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”
As I stood and watched the alumni of George Washington Carver, Dr. Wanda Bamburg, Dr. Ben Wilson, Dr. Archie Blanson and Principal Rosalyn Sweat come together to preview the George Washington Carver Heritage Center, I have to state that I was proud of the spirit that everyone shared in on.
Therefore, I felt prompted to remind our faithful and loyal readers of African-American News&Issues of the true and total purpose of this publication. Year after year, week after week African-American News&Issues strives to highlight current and historical realities that affect our community. This fact alone in addition to placing emphasis on embracing our Black heritage and history is the sole purpose of why African-American News&Issues exists and has existed for nearly two decades.
I personally know and understand the importance of the Black community embracing its history. No matter the lightness or darkness of one’s complexion, we have to always remember that there is just something about this Blackness.
Often my wife and I admonish our staff to never forget who we are and where we come from. It does not matter how much money, status, accomplishments or fame one has. The truth of the matter is that if you don’t know who you are or where you come from, you will never know where you are going. Had it not been for the perseverance of our ancestors and forefathers we would not be occupying two of the highest and most powerful seats that the United States of America has to offer. As it is, not only do we have a Black president (Barack Obama), but there is a Black Attorney General as well (Eric Holder).
These strides are a direct result of the preservation of the struggles of Black History at its most pivotal moments. Accordingly, we must strive to pass our legacies and heritage down to the generations that are to succeed us. It is important to instill values, morals and knowledge into our youth. By doing so, we are simply investing into the generations that will lead our communities in years to come. Our youth today are compelled to believe that success is bottled in fancy rims, shiny cars, gold and platinum teeth, keeping current with the latest trends, disrespecting one another with vulgar descriptions and flashing wads of money in the public’s view.
However, the true success of one’s life is manifested long after one passes on. A successful person is remembered long after he or she closes his or her eyes for the final time. To master such a feat it is vital to leave a legacy that others even years after will attempt to master or even excel above someone that revealed productivity within his or her life. It is the struggle and hardship of our ancestors that endured slavery, unfair and inhumane treatment that led to many of us today to afford the lifestyle and industry of which we are apart of. We were taught that somebody made a sacrifice for us to be able to enjoy privileges that were not easily given years ago.
Hell, it was just 1963 that the Forward Times published an article entitled, Congress still debating whether Negroes are ‘individuals or property’. So, although we have come a long way there is still much needed improvement.