"Black people are saying a very powerful, complex, yet simple thing: "I am a man." The struggle of racism all along has been a struggle to regain the essential manhood lost after the European expansion into the broader world and the attempt to justify the slave trade. This struggle has brought us to where we are now, standing on the 'Black and Beautiful' plateau. From this position, Black people will go into another stage much higher and more meaningful for mankind. After reclaiming their own humanity, I think they will make a contribution toward the reclamation of the humanity of man. First, they will have to realize that in the kind of world we live in, being black and beautiful means very little unless we are also black and powerful. There is no way to succeed in the struggle against racism without power. That is a part of our new reality and our mission.
---John Henrik Clarke 1970
"REFLECTION: Today, we possess the power of the vote. We earn that right with the blood and sacrifice of many of our people in a protracted struggle in both the North and the South.
And yet, many of us don't even register to vote. We bemoan the state of affairs in the nation, but when the time comes to take an active hand in shaping our destiny, we step back into the shadows.
This is why our voice in political matters is in danger of becoming a muffled whisper. It's important to take pride in who we are, but tht pride must be matched with action. Know the issues, not just those that affect you, but also those that affect you neighbor. Those who would do us harm recoil at the thought of an informed electorate holding them accountable to a new standard. We must exercise the power of self-determination at the ballot box."
---Robert Fleming
Posted By: Thomasena Martin-Johnson
Thursday, August 16th 2012 at 2:23AM
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