Did the Black community receive one too many handouts? by Devin Robinson
October 15th, 2010 | » There is no denying, the period of Reconstruction (1867-late 1870’s) was
the most progressive time for American Blacks. Though we still faced the
obstacles as newly freed Blacks and what Jim Crow had to offer, we thrived
as a nation within a nation. I am not discussing financially, I am
focusing on ingenuity and inventiveness. We built, we collaborated, and
were resourceful. This was because we had no choice. We built businesses
in our communities and established goods and services detrimental to our
survival. Even through the mid 1950’s Blacks continued to display
analytical skills through inventions and innovation. These were also the
years the “Madame CJ Walker” empire was born. She invented the hair
straightening comb and went on to develop many other hair care products.
She became the first black female self-made millionaire. There are
countless stories like hers! However, what happened after 1950’s and
1960’s? What did integration do to us? Are Black self-made
millionaire-ship (not professional athletes and entertainers) still
possible?
I strongly believe that the Black community got one too many social
programs and handouts that created a generational chain reaction. This led
to the crippling of us. We now have children that expect results
overnight, which that is not that easily attained unless you take your
talents to existing empires. We know the Black community has few; hence,
another rippling effect. One of the missions I am on is travelling the
country teaching people how to enter into the beauty supply industry. I
developed a chain of stores in Atlanta, Georgia before becoming a business
and economics professor. It saddens me when I encounter people that have
the desire to be successful entrepreneurs but seek the handout route to
get there. Here’s where we suffer. If we ever expect to be successful in
business, we must get acquainted with “costs and investments.” It is
dangerous to assume that all a business does is “take” from the community
or make money. Sadly that is the conditioning we have developed. Business
owners incur expenses that lead to profits. If you own a store, whatever
you want to sell, you will have to buy. So many of us want to be
millionaires but don’t realize that millionaires often carry millions and
millions of dollars in debt, human resource headaches, and other
liabilities.
This reminds me of the “Stone Soup” fable. The story goes like this. A
lady bragged about making stone soup in a small village. Other villagers
became intrigued by the dish. They ask what ingredients were in it.
However, the ingredients were nothing; she had no ingredients to make the
dish. She only had the fire, the water and the pot. Yet, after villagers
witnessed her joyfully stirring the water, they wanted to be a part of the
“harvest” and decided to each bring an ingredient that would make the dish
better. Next thing you know, there was a complete meal for everyone to
partake in.
The philosophical moral to this fable is that “everyone can easily benefit
when everyone contributes.” The breakdown for us is we got to many
handouts from charities and governments giving some Blacks the mindset
that there is little risk, investment or work needed on our part in order
to get something in return. We fail to realize when we contribute to the
success of those around us, we are building a social group of successful
people we actually “know” whom we can benefit from. When we allow people
in our circle to fail, we establish a circle of failures. When we become a
spectator of their efforts of those around us, yet expect to “get” when
they become successful, we find ourselves complaining that the person
changed. Actually, they don’t change, they simply “remember.” They
remember who contributed to their success. I know I am stepping on plenty
of toes with this column but it is desperately important that we
understand the dynamics of those individuals and groups that are
successful. They give intellectually, support a cause not tied to them,
invest monies with entrepreneurs they know, SO later on, they are able to
take!
Devin Robinson is a business and economics professor and author of
Rebuilding in the Black Infrastructure: Making America a Colorless Nation
and Blacks: From the Plantation to the Prison.
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Friday, October 15th 2010 at 5:05PM
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