Black The Experience Lecture Notes Dec 8th , 2010 December 8th, 2010: Documentary: "The Two Nations of Black America" Narration: by Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Description: While many blacks reaped the reward of the civil rights movement, just as many were left behind in an expanding underclass of poverty. There were two ways to being black. You were in society or not. (Ostracized) Black Panther Party frighted him. He started into violent revolution and walked away. They tried to dismantle master's house by learning to use their tools. -DuBois's Talented 10th: Du Bois used the term "the talented tenth" to describe the likelihood of one in ten black men becoming leaders of their race in the world, through methods such as continuing their education, writing books, or becoming directly involved in social change. He strongly believed that blacks needed a classical education to be able to reach their potential, rather than the industrial education promoted by such people as Booker T. Washington and some white philanthropists. -Poor People Campaign (was about economics)- to get full employment, guaranteed income, and indecent housing. Government had broke promise after Emancipation to improve black living conditions. This organization was thrown into chaos because MLK died. They planned to do a demonstration in Washington and his death tore away at this happening. What are the views of these individuals on the challenges facing the Black community in the contemporary period? Prominent Blacks: 1. Cornel West - We would not be at Harvard if it were not for the community people who fought for education. We are extent of black community, the result of the those who gave up so much because of us. Most people that come to US are glad to be here, to be away from poor conditions. 67' there was higher poverty rate, tighter community. 97' more isolated, insulated, strange black folk especially in workplace. Social connections were better back then. 2. William Julius Wilson - our generation thought we would break down the separation of race. BUt now we face a class struggle. Very strong association with joblessness and crime. By the time black and whites reach 20, there is a 4:1 ratio of crimes committed by black and white men. But when unemployment steps in, the ration of black to white men is the same, 1:1. 3. Maulana Karenga - became leader of black nationalist movement. Kwanza inventor. Black people have to start from somewhere. How do we sustain community to sustain power and speak about cultural truth to the world? Civil rights veterans: 4. Eldridge Cleaver - Black Panther Party member. It was either victory or death. Money is fun for everyone, not only blacks. 5. Angela Davis - risked her life for liberation. She did not consider herself a nationalist. She was committed to black struggle but overall the emancipation of working people in general. We need a middle class to function. We all have a zealous to commitment make money. 6. Julian Bond - He is a Board Member of NAACP. He was on the student non-violent community. I don't live in a neighborhood with anyone that is not like me. Back then, rich lived next to poor; better housing but still interacted physically. Now, the two do not interact.
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Jesse Jackson - many poor black people work everyday. It is not about laziness. It is about opportunity. Lack of resources. Quincy Jones: Top rappers are not from the hood. They are from the drug district. (rich?) Ideology: I want to get paid. Show me the money. When you have a gangster mentality among poorer folk, it is more dynamic.
The video explores the growing chasm between the upper and lower classes of black America and asks why it has happened: "How have we reached this point where we have both the largest black middle class and the largest black underclass in our history?" What are Professor Gate's reasons for this divide? Do you agree with his conclusions Professor Gates also examines the structural and behavioral issues that have led to lower class blacks falling further behind and candidly assesses violent gangster culture and why personal responsibility is as crucial as structural change to help the underclass. Do you agree with his conclusions? These young hoodlums seem to be in a separate community from rest. They live in a different world. Hoodlums:"We already dead. I'm not stupid. I got a problem , i cannot solve. You don't help and he doesn't help. We want Ozz. Who gunna work at Popeyes, or Mcdonalds? There problems comes from one thing: the money." Gangster Culture integrates? Today 1/3 of all working blacks live below poverty line. Affirmative action does not apply to poor blacks. This action only applies to middle class blacks. Affirmative action alone cannot get poor blacks to ..... We need stronger families, safer communities, educational reform, social reform - to make progress DIsadvantaged blacks have been hit strong by the changing economy. They are falling furhter and further behind. The gap on the scale of lower and higher people is opening wider, and wider. The roads of transforming this country and making progress: middle class has to think on a larger scale. complete the task given in past history. Million Man March: An opportunity for black people to take responsibility of their current situations. March became a movement. (mistake) according to Angela Davis. Inter-racial coalition - some people cannot cross this line and work with people different them. It is kind of the same as in the past. a problem. Working class working whites and blacks, and blacks... The racial divide is no longer the main threat. Class divide is the new problem. We have a problem of inequality. The levels of inequality are increasing and obscene. This is not a race problem, this is an american problem. However, race is still a threat. What kind of people are we really? We must try.