Teaching Charity to the Entitled

We live in an age of entitlement. It appears that we will get everything we want right now with little or no effort on our part. This view of entitlement is especially easy to see in the children and youth of the United States today. This is a gross aggrandizement, but many people are calling today’s generation of young people, ‘entitlement babies’. Many children have everything given to them before they are even old enough to express the desire to have material items. Parents, family, and friends are ready to hand out whatever a child needs and fulfill their every wish. So, how does this type of young person react when they come into contact with someone who is different? Someone who does not have all the materialistic abundance that they are so used to?

It’s great to remember that young people are very intelligent and quick to learn. Also, parents and families are not going out of their to raise entitled young people. We want to give our children the very best. However, sometimes in giving our children everything they want, we take away some of their greatest learning opportunities. We take away their opportunities to struggle and work for what they want. We take away their opportunities to understand what it’s like to not always get what you want right away. We take away their opportunities to learn that life is not always about getting things.

The anecdote to entitlement is charity. Take the opportunity to entitle less and teach your children the abundance of giving. Charities in a society are kept alive by the members of that society. If our societies cease to give, charities will cease to exist.

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Overview of Racism

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X meet bef...

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Racism of all kinds seems to have existed in the United States from the birth of the nation. Many of the founding fathers pushed to have the practice of slavery abolished since it was quite popular at the time. They wished to make it illegal to own or trade slaves in the laws of the Constitution of the United States.

This means as early as 1776, the issue of racism and human rights were being raised. Many point fingers at Thomas Jefferson, who drew up the Declaration of Independence which states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” While these words stir the human soul, some had to wonder at Jefferson’s preaching versus his own practices since it is reported that he, himself, owned approximately 200 slaves. On the other hand though, it is also rumored that he inherited these slaves and did not want to trade them or sell them to free himself since the act of buying and selling was unpleasant to him. Whether this is true, it is unsure. We do know though that racism and slavery was an issue from the beginning and that Jefferson did feel a strong passion for the equal rights of all men.

It would be years though before “equal rights would start to be enforced. The Civil War was fought to free slaves and gives them there rights. Nearly a century later, Martin Luther King and his followers would be continuing the work of generations of African Americans and whites to make changes. Since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, there has been an awareness of minority groups and the rights of all individuals. This flame continues to burn as minority racial groups seek equal equality in all aspects of life.

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Remembering the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Rosa Parks holds a name in the history of Black Heritage as a woman who took a stand for her civil rights and did not budge. On December 1, 1955, she refused to give up her seat on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

She was arrested for her non-compliance with the Jim Crow laws of the time which legalized segregation on city buses.

It is interesting to note though, that this was not the first time this had happened. In March of 1955, Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl also refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery city bus to a white man. Her case was reviewed by a committee. Martin Luther King was one of the committee members. It was determined though that this case should not be pursued since this school girl was pregnant and unmarried at the time.

So when the unfortunate occurrence with Parks happened, King and his followers were ready for peaceful action. Parks’ arrest gave birth to the Montgomery Bus Boycott which was led by King. This boycott changed the history of racial segregation in the United States.

In this boycott all African Americans in Montgomery were urged to not use the city buses in protest of the unfair laws which supported segregation. The boycott lasted for 385 days and caused much tension. In fact, Martin Luther King’s own home was bombed.

During the boycott King was arrested, but all these grievances did lead to change. In the end, the District Courts ruled that segregation on all Montgomery City Buses was no longer legal. King and all those who supported him were able to bring about change through peaceful means. This kind of action set a new civil rights law that influenced others around the country.

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Influences on King, Influences on the Country

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Martin Luther King Jr. is a legend of heroism and a champion of civil rights. His cause was to overcome discrimination and racism and to strongly encourage the government to put in place laws that would guarantee rights to all Americans.

Americans, of all races hail him as one who was able to peacefully make a stand for right and influence the masses.

While many may know about King and his historical work, it is good to learn of the early influences in his life that shaped and molded him in to the great man the nation knows and loves.

One early mentor was Howard Thurman. He was a class mate of King’s father at Morehouse College and had done missionary work. King often looked to Thurman as a mentor while attending Boston University when Thurman was the dean of Marsh Chapel there. It has been said that the nation would not have had King without having Thurman, whose writings and work were very influential.

Mahatma Gandhi was also one who had a profound impact on King and the cause of Civil Rights. In 1959, King took a trip to India to visit the birth place of Gandhi. It was here that his understanding and appreciation for peaceful activism deepened. King became more committed to non-violent methods for change and grew in his unquenchable desire to move the cause of Civil Rights forward in America. He recognized that pin Gandhi that peaceful activists have a power and ability that can truly bring about change.

Bayard Rustin was a peaceful activist who mentored and offered counsel to King in the early years of the Civil Rights Movement. Rustin had studied and researched the writing of Mahatma Gandhi and was also influenced by this man’s ability to create change peacefully. Rustin supported King and urged him to maintain principles of peace throughout the Civil Rights Movement. Rustin is also known for his organization of the March on Washington in 1963.

As we celebrate Martin Luther King and all he did, we also celebrate those who influenced him and ultimately influenced the country.

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World-wide Black Heritage

Often when we consider Black heritage we limit it to the geographical location of the United States. This is not the true reality though. Black heritage encompasses world events that significantly shaped and determined the life of Africans world-wide.

It is important as well as edifying to recognize that other countries too struggled with racism and discrimination. They like the United States have made improvements to equalize rights and create fair laws over the decades. While some of these steps are just a beginning, it is hoped that this progress will mean a better world.

Below are a few international events that have affected blacks and shaped our world’s history.

WWII significantly marked change for Africans. In the desperate times of war, many started to overlook skin-color to focus on the better good of winning the war effort. President Roosevelt in the United States made an executive order which allowed African Americans to meaningfully contribute to there war effort.

In 1945, the Fifth Pan-African Congress assembled in England. This brought about the formation of independent states in Africa and the West Indies. Until this point African history was dominated by foreign rule.

In 1957, Ghana celebrated its independence. This was the initial event that got the ball rolling throughout Africa and started the end of colonial rule in Africa.

In 1962 the country of Jamaica declared its independence.

In 1994, Nelson Mendela was inaugurated into the office of President of South Africa. This officially ended the rule of whites in black Africa.

While Americans may only consider slave-trade and the Civil war when thinking of Black Heritage, there is so much more to learn about and celebrate. Many monumental events in countries such as England and Africa paved the wave for blacks’ independence. As the world strives to overcome racism and discrimination, it is essential to celebrate world-wide Black Heritage, and not just focus on American Black Heritage. This will better assist us in shaping a prejudice-free society that will no longer tolerate racism of any kind.

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Celebrating African American History All Year Long

Although February is considered the official Black History Month, this important part of United States history should be remembered and commemorated all year long. Remembering the significant contributions African Americans have made individually and collectively is important for understanding our history and determining our future.

Below are some important dates of significance to African American history (Note: Dates are listed in chronological order as they transpired in history).

May 31, 1909. On this day about 300 African Americans as well as whites met in New York City to form the NAACP. James Weldon Johnson was the first African American secretary of this organization and took the position in 1920.

November 6, 1928. The first African American is elected to the United States Congress, Oscar DePriest of Chicago (Note: by the year 2000 there were 39 African Americans serving in Congress and 14 of them were women).

April 15, 1947. The Brooklyn Dodgers boasted the first-ever African American baseball team member, Jackie Robinson. This landmark debut on April 15, 1947 opened the doors for other African Americans to integrate into college and professional sports.

September 18, 1950. Ralth J. Bunche was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his successful mediation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He was named the United Nations mediator two years prior and was given this specific assignment. Bunche was the first-ever African American to win the coveted prize.

May 17, 1954. The Supreme Court of the United States unanimously voted to do away with legal segregation of blacks and whites in the school system. Although it would be many years before this law was truly applied and enforced, this date marks the supreme decision for legal change.

December 5, 1955. This day was the start of the bus boycotts in Alabama. Such individuals as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King gained fame through these events.

October 1, 1962. James Meredith entered the University of Mississippi as the first African American student. He was escorted by a large number of Federal troops.

While there are many more dates to remember in Black History, it is good to note some of them.

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Are Americans cured of Racism?

In 2008 when Baraq Obama, former senator in Illinois was elected President of the United States many applauded this monumental victory of an African American. For he is the first-ever African American President.

Considering all that has happened in the history of the United States with slavery, the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and other national events, this historical election is greatly applauded.

One does have to wonder if racism still exists in the hearts of Americans. While it is definitely not politically-correct to make racist comments or display discrimination, is it possible that maybe Americans hearts have not entirely changed?

Now in 2011, a couple of years after the election, Obama is still identified as the first ever African American President of the United States. If race did not truly matter to Americans or if they viewed whites and blacks as equal as why is this huge deal?

It would seem that constantly pointing out Obama’s heritage and race is a sign that the national public still differs races and distinguishes heritages. It would seem that the amount of celebration and recognition focused on this one fact is an indicator that may be the country’s heart is not quite where it needs to be.

All Americans would agree both whites and African Americans that a President should be elected on the basis of skill and ability. The public votes a person in to this prestigious office because they feel that this person is the best one suited to the job.

It would be completely incorrect to vote someone in to the role of President of the United States based on skin color. If a white person were voted in on basis of skin color, it would be racism.

While President Obama campaigned on the chant of change and making Washington better, it is interesting to note that many media sources and critics emphasized his race. If racism and discrimination were truly obsolete in America, the media would not have made such a huge deal of this issue.

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Passing as White

James McCune Smith was born in 1813 in New York City. He dreamed of becoming a doctor. He applied to medical schools in the United States and was denied acceptance. He did not give up on his dream. He was finally accepted to the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Dr. Smith earned his degree and returned to New York. He was the first trained African-American doctor. He was also an activist against slavery and a celebrated writer.

There have been several books written about Dr. Smith. Unfortunately, his descendents new little or nothing about him or his life. It seems upon his death; Dr. Smith was buried in an unmarked grave in 1865. Many of his achievements were hidden and left out of history as well.

Dr. Smith’s father was white and his mother was a slave. Dr. Smith had three children and scholars believe the children were able to pass as white. This was a common practice to escape racism.

During a class on a history of African-Americans in New York, Greta Blau recognized the name of James McCune Smith. Her grandmother had given her a family Bible and the name James McCune Smith was inscribed in the Bible. Greta Blau made a discovery of a lifetime. Even though she was white and always thought of herself as white, Dr. James McCune Smith was in fact her great-great-great-grandfather.

Greta Blau believes that Smith’s children may have passed as white and their children and grandchildren were not aware of their African-American heritage. His descendants purchased a gravestone and held a ceremony at the cemetery where he was buried.

Many African-Americans have passed as white to avoid racism and to have opportunities they would not have if their true heritage were known. So for many, black became white and has remained this way ever since.

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Ursula Burns – Xerox Corporation CEO

Ursula Burns is the first African-American to become head of a Fortune 500 company. Her rise to the position of CEO of the Xerox Corporation turned many heads in the financial and global business markets. In 2009, this amazing woman ranked ninth in the list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business, according to Fortune Magazine. She was only three places below Oprah Winfrey who was number six on the list. It is important to mention that Ms. Burns is only in her early fifties.

Most people including African-Americans would believe she came from a wealthy family. Surely, an African-American woman could never achieve such success any other way. It surprises many people to know Ms. Burns was raised in a Lower Manhattan housing project by a single mother. Her mother made a living in childcare and ironing clothes.

Ms. Burns not only had to overcome racism because of the color of her skin, she had to overcome gender discrimination as well. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Polytechnic Institute of NYU in mechanical engineering and a master’s from Columbia University. She joined Xerox in 1980 as a summer intern. Her career at Xerox moved quickly and in 2000, she became Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategic Services.

She is a prime example of the ability of African-Americans to earn an education and earn their way to a promising future. Ms. Burns was not given a free ride. She earned her success every step of the way. She has raised the bar for African-Americans and it is important for her community to recognize her achievements.

Even in the most undesirable circumstances, people can succeed if they focus on an education and hard work. Handouts only keep people trapped in a never-ending cycle.

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Dr. Otis Brawley’s Rise to the Medical Elite

Dr. Otis Brawley holds one of the most elite positions in the country. He is currently the Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society. Dr. Brawley is a remarkable example of a determined African-American youth to take control of his own destiny.

He grew up in the 1960s and during this time, no one would have ever predicted his rise to the medical elite was possible.

He grew up during a time when racism was vocalized and opportunity was rare for African-Americans. He also grew up in the inner city of Detroit. Even today, Detroit is still one of the roughest and most poverty stricken inner cities in the country. He fought the odds and has now become one of the most respected medical doctors in the world. Not bad for a kid growing up during a time when African-Americans had little hope of success.

Dr. Brawley achieved a tremendous success in a field that few African-Americans think about as a career path. In the 1960s, only six percent of all physicians were African-American. That number continues to be low even today. His accomplishments are nothing short of remarkable to say the least.

Dr. Brawley is an out spoken man that continues to fight against cancer and works toward the efforts to provide fair medical treatment for all Americans. He is a champion for men and women that suffer from cancer. He is the voice for those who lack insurance to pay for costly cancer treatments.

Black History months is important to educate the country on the contributions of African-Americans to our rich history. However, many distinguished African-Americans are making history in our society today. These are people that have overcome poverty and racism to reach heights no one could have imagined. These distinguished people should serve as role models to the African-American youths of today.

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