by A. Peter Bailey
(Trice Edney Wire) – As we prepare for the elections of November 2024 and beyond, it is very important and wise to study and act on serious guidance from the great journalist, historian and master teacher, Lerome Bennett, Jr. Brother Lerome, who was an iconic Ebony Magazine editor for many years provided us with very profound insight on how to promote and protect our cultural, economic, political, educational, psychological, and technological interests in the United States of North America (USNA) and in the world.
Three brother Lerome’s quotes is as follows:
“The Black middle class can no longer avoid its destiny. The Black middle class can no longer avoid the necessity of redefining itself in terms of the needs of Black people. It is necessary now for the Black middle class to become the servants of the Black community and not be mediators for the White community. It is not necessary for all Blacks to do the same thing. It is necessary for them to do something. It is equally important for the Black community to judge individuals on their basics of their contributions. Some men can write; some can fix cars; some can cook; some can raise hell; all – the writer, the mechanic, the cook, the hellraiser – are valuable because their skills are complimentary and not contradictory.”
Another wise contribution from brother Lerome states that, “… The time has come for all Black people to protect the idea of Black hegemony in cultural, political and economic matters. And we cannot rise to the level of that task which history demands of us, if we cannot recognize that it is useless for Black schools to waste their resources trying to become Black Harvards. Harvard is not good enough. University of Chicago is not good enough. The University of Georgia is not good enough. Technology apart, there is no White model in America for what we must do now. Let there be no mistake about it; I am saying that the Black man – as a Black man – has something to say in this country and something to do that no one else can say or do…not because of his color but because of his experiences.”
Brother Lerome’s third quote tells us that “Given the way we have been forced to live in this society, the miracle is not how many families are broken, but that so many are still raising good children, it’s the incredible toughness and resilience of Black people that gives me hope.”
This guidance from Brother Lerome and other serious Black master teachers is something that we must act on for our progress and protection.
A. Peter Bailey is a columnist for the Trice Edney News Wire.
