By: Isaiah Robinson
HOUSTON — A wise man once said, “Knowledge is power, and knowledge can be the difference between life or death.”
We are a powerful people of many capabilities with that dollar in our hand, but we’re misguided on the impact of that dollar through strategic and decisive planning.
Our people call for black excellence and black power, but some of our own people don’t want us to excel past them or overpower them
There’s a saying that goes, “It be your own people sometimes,” and that statement hits home to a lot of us.
A dollar sits in the register of a store longer than it does sitting in our own community (six hours according to Black men in America) because our people tend to be “big spenders” and small investors.
According to the book, “12 Things the Negro Must Do for Himself,” by Nannie Helen Burroughs, the first step that’s mentioned is: “The Negro Must Learn to Put First Things First. The First Things Are: Education; Development of Character Traits; A Trade and Home Ownership.”
“The Negro puts too much of his earning in clothes, food, show and having what he calls ‘a good time,’” Dr. Kelly Miller said. “The Negro buys what he wants and begs for what he needs.”
Our people work hard for the money they receive on pay day, but barely have anything to show for it except for the name brand clothes and jewelry on their body.
We’re focused on what depreciates in value (money, cars, clothes, jewelry) then what appreciates (real estate, stocks, equity investments).
Why are so many of our people into materials and flashy objects — playing the game of going broke — looking rich in front of discontent broke people?
Are we miseducated?
Our black kids spend most of their childhood years trapped in school learning the curriculum that doesn’t prepare them for life, but prepares them for a state-wide test they won’t remember the day after.
And most of the students graduating from high school and college are completely unaware about the dangers of credit cards, how to write a check, how to save and how to spend their money wisely.
Isn’t it the parents’ job to teach their kids about handling money?
Yes, in part that is true, but for the amount of hours kids spend a week learning new material, should schools implement life skills into their curriculum?
The point is, our people are still on a downward spiral of being big spenders, and the generations coming after us are following the same path.
When will the negro begin to beg for he wants and buy what he needs?
