The Souls of Black Folks

In The Souls of Black Folks, WEB Dubois wrote the following about the duality of the psyche or consciousness of African Americans:

It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness,
this sense of always looking at one's self
through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul
by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt
and pity. One ever feels his two-ness, — an
American, a Negro ; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled
strivings; two warring ideals in one dark
body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being
torn asunder.

The timeliness of those eloquent words is staggering because they still accurately describe the state of the black soul. First, since we are bombarded, day after day, with negative messages and images we have internalized anti-black racism like the rest of America. We see ourselves and our community through the eyes of those that despise us.

Our self-hatred manifests itself in those black faces that wreck havoc in our communities throughout America. The uneducated and neglected children that learn to terrorize, kill, loot, sell drugs are not only problematic; they are symptomatic of a community short on self-love.

There is self-hatred in the black middle and upper-class. They frequently treat blackness as a condition to escape rather than a culture to embrace and uplift; hence, far too often they have become disconnected and overly critical of the community. Our black middle and upper-class has yet to become the head attached to the body of the masses. They have yet to become the talented 10th envisioned by Dubois - a group of educated people whose actions set the course for the empowerment of their representative group.

On the other hand, there exists a false understanding of blackness among too many of us. This has led to a misconception that “keeping it real” means rejection of all virtues perceived to be foreign or white. Education, mainstream ambition and, professional etiquette are labeled white virtues; therefore, those that practice them are called sell outs or Uncle Toms. Our kids are taught in songs, videos and playgrounds that real G’s don’t read and that one earns manhood stripes by going to prison or putting in work (crime).

As Dubois would suggest, the time for reconciliation is now! Reconciliation is nothing more than embracing who we were, who we are and who we can become. This self-love is the greatest gift we can pass on to the next generation (Remember the song the Greatest).

Why? Because, a people that loves self devotes energy, resources and talent to building schools, economies, communities and institutions that perpetuate survival, growth and excellence.

Join us in our journey. Peace.