What some would consider progress over the last 60 years since the Montgomery Bus Boycotts is really just widespread tokenism.
Progress for a few is not progress at all unless we are looking at it from an individualistic-assimilationist point of view. This view focuses on the success of a few while overlooking the lack of opportunity for the majority of Black people.
Individualistic-assimilationists like Michael Jordan and Jay-Z have sold us out. Their success comes at our cost
There will be no real progress until Black people have established cooperative organization amongst the upper/middle class and the working/underclass. We have to stress collectivism.
In order to organize as a whole we have to establish a political party, create a collective political platform, identify leadership, and create a Black economy.
It has to be understood that Black leadership is unrealistic in America until Black people have legitimate political power. The majority of Black people have to accept the fact that a two party system will not work. It will never provide the leadership needed in order to increase the pace of progress in the Black community that is currently akin to a snail.
Why have we not given real thought to establishing a political party? Initially, this would be tough on the national political scene, but locally speaking it seems more than feasible. Why aren’t we voting on ourselves? It is more realistic than waiting on politicians who have no idea how to help, claim to want to help, or worse have no intention of helping our community at all.
What would the political platform be for this party? We have to determine valence issues within not only the Black community but within our respective states as well. Would it just be for Black people? Some specific issues for the Black community would be creating jobs and opportunity, encouraging investment in the community, and ensuring kids receive a quality education. Is this not what most Americans desire?
Although the party would be established to address the immediate needs of Black people, it would not be an exclusive group. It is about uniting all people who want peace, equality and justice. Some issues are more about class than race. With the current political and social climate of America, open minded poor people, some white liberals, and peoples of other ethnicities would want to join a party that would truly be for the people.
Internal barriers include Black peoples lack of imagination and fear of independence. Where are our Black leaders? The Black community needs innovative leaders who possess the ability to stand tall in the face of adversity and criticism. They have to always be willing to be a voice for the Black community, whether that be on a local level or nationally speaking. Words have to be transcending. Educating not only our community, but society as well.
Most importantly our leaders have to empower the disenfranchised.
Another important internal barrier is the absence of a Black economy. If we have the capital to establish a Black economy, why are we not investing in ourselves?
Do we lack the discipline? Are we unwilling to sacrifice luxuries that we have become fond of? Are we unwilling to build businesses that would create jobs?
If we have learned anything from the civil rights movement it is that we have the ability to dictate change when we think on a communal level. There have been little to no boycotts in the Black community since Montgomery. This is despite the continuation of discrimination and injustice Black people face. Any progress made as a collective has been lost as a result of individualism and complacency on our part.
I end this with the words of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.”