Black in America – Walk Into the Future

Black Wall Street–100 years later (Repost)

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Hostility Sculpture in Tulsa, Oklahoma

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.

(Dr. Martin Luther King)

My first introduction to Black Wall Street came when I served as a panelist for a Florida State University (FSU) Black Student Union (BSU) program. The students invited me to enhance their professional development program, but I got a history lesson I did not expect or know I needed.

I love working with college students because they bring a passion for subjects they are interested in and that passion keeps them curious and intent on growing daily. My role on the panel was to help BSU students understand how to present themselves when networking for future career opportunities. We got that process going and had a good question and answer session with lots of input from the students in attendance.

One of the students present asked the moderator why the activities for the week was labeled Black Wall Street? The response is where my education on the subject began.

The BSU leaders saw Black History Month as the perfect time to educate its members and guests on important periods, i.e., The Harlem Renaissance, Black Wall Street, Black Excellence and Black Power. I was familiar with each of the periods identified for the month except Black Wall Street. I assumed this was BSU’s way to show members how to build financial freedom and eventually make their way to Wall Street (NYC). I was wrong and totally missed the boat on the meaning of Black Wall Street.

The BSU leadership wanted to show members how financial freedom could be gained by following the blueprint laid out by the founders of the true Black Wall Street in Greenwood, Oklahoma (Tulsa). I had never heard of Black Wall Street, Greenwood, Oklahoma or the massacre that happened there in the early 1920’s. My students were more than happy to fill me in on another history lesson I never received during my formal education programs—this seems to be a common theme with American history.

The concept a black town in Oklahoma was self-sufficient in the 1920’s seemed unreal at first but decided to learn more after talking with students. I consider myself a lifelong learner and this was another educational journey I needed to fully see the great things that happened on Black Wall Street prior to the massacre.

O.W. Gurley was a prominent figure who relocated to the Greenwood district and purchased land which then could only be sold to people of color. This was Gurley’s vision to establish a place for the black population. Most of his businesses were frequented by black migrants fleeing the oppression of the Mississippi delta. Gurley worked with others to pool their financial resources and support the thriving businesses being developed in Greenwood. The residents of Black Wall Street were doctors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. The success of the black residents of Greenwood played a role in the 1921 massacre because of the jealousy of their white neighbors in nearby Tulsa.

My Black Wall Street education increased my knowledge of this important period of Black History and led me to dig deeper on the actual massacre. The news program, 60 Minutes did a report on Black Wall Street and the massacre a few years ago. This led to additional investigations and a team has been formed to find and excavate hidden graves to bring closure for descendants of the massacre victims. This painful piece of American history continues to garner interest and my hope is we never experience something like this again.

Learn more about what happened in Greenwood here:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoinegara/2020/06/18/the-bezos-of-black-wall-street-tulsa-race-riots-1921/#65183f08f321

60 Minutes program on Greenwood, Oklahoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA8t8PW-OkA

“History has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own”.

(Michelle Obama)

Note: This was a repost. My mentor thought it was timely to put this in front of readers again. It has been 100 years and this injustice is finally getting national attention.

Always remember Rosewood, Florida (Repost)

Justice

(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

(Nelson Mandela)

Happy to see the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement continue to draw attention to racial injustices. The momentum gained after the George Floyd murder continues to lead people worldwide to protest injustices. It feels real this time, but I thought that after Rodney King, Trayvon Martin, Eric Gardner, and Michael Brown. Too many instances where black people are killed, and the justice system does not provide justice. Not trying to be cute with words here but most of these examples were seen on video just like George Floyd but no justice for black victims could be found.

Would like to say these are just isolated examples and America really treats black people well. Yep, we all know that would be a huge lie and I could not say that with a straight face anyway. America’s majority has treated people of color horribly and then try to convince us everything is okay. It is not and has not been okay for a long time.

Decided to go back in history and introduce Walk into the Future readers to Rosewood, Florida. Most people have never heard about Rosewood or the horror the black families endured there. It does not get the same press as the Black Wall Street massacre but is closer to home for me.

Sadly, I did not learn about Rosewood until the 1997 movie directed by John Singleton was released. I grew up in Florida and never heard a word about the massacre in a history or civics class. Rosewood is less than a two-hour drive from my hometown Jasper, Florida so it is equally shocking how close this type of mob/Klan activity was to my family.

I watched the movie and remember thinking this happened right down the street from my hometown. How is it possible I did not know about this? How could an entire town get wiped off the face of the earth and nobody said a word? This appears to be the American way. We condemn other countries and regimes for their atrocities and then hide ours from the public.

The movie stirred me to visit Rosewood in 1997 so I could see the place for myself. Sadly, the only substantial thing to identify Rosewood is a placard to let you know you are in the place where the town of Rosewood use to be. There are a few buildings there now but most of the things in the area are incorporated to Cedar Key, Florida. Felt weird being at the site of a massacre of black people but believe this was an important lesson to never forget the past so these things do not repeat. Like what is happening now; we cannot just let these injustices occur without responding in kind.

The BLM movement is here to stay, and we will need to remain vigilant to ensure human rights are respected for all. Keep learning and growing tree branches—we need you to make this a better world!

Learn more about Rosewood, Florida here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/03/rosewood-florida-massacre-racial-violence-reparations

“The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the American society”.

(John Lewis)

Repost from August 20, 2020.

Knowledge is power–Ms. Evers boys

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(Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay)

“A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity”.

(Dalai Lama)

The Walk into the Future blog was able to expand to tackle racial injustice in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has adjusted how we interact with others but 2020 provided additional opportunities for the world to view social justice from a new lens.

The younger generation calls this new view as being WOKE. Merriam Webster.com identifies woke is increasingly used as a byword for social awareness.

The multiple instances of injustice we witnessed in 2020 AND past events provided the Walk into the Future blog with a new level of being woke—this platform has become a place for me to express frustrations, outrage, and fear. It has also allowed me to learn about past injustices and how they impacted the lives of others who had to live through the experiences.

2020 provided an awakening to the continued injustices for folks like George Floyd, Breana Taylor, Ahmaud Abery and Jacob Blake. Some if these injustices were recorded and we got a chance to see what really happened not what authorities wanted to hide from the public as they normally do.

2020 also provided me with a level of curiosity to research past injustices to educate myself and readers about things most Americans had never heard about: Black 14, Black Wall Street, Rosewood, Florida, and Why Black Lives Matter. I was able to learn about each of these topics and generate a blog article to share what I discovered. A lot of my blog followers had never heard of these and want to learn more—this allows me to keep looking for topics to help ensure these injustices are never forgotten and I am hopeful they will not be repeated.

Ms. Evers boys

Why are some minorities fearful of getting vaccines?

Seems like a simple question but the answer will surprise a lot of people who have never heard about the Tuskegee Study which ran from 1932 – 1972 before the unethical treatment of black men in Macon County, Alabama was ended. The study (lab experiment) was conducted on 600 black men in the rural county, and they were told they had bad blood which was used to trick them into participating in the study.

The study was designed to observe what happens with untreated syphilis in the body of black men. Let’s repeat that, the study was designed to see the impact of syphilis on black men who were never told what they had or if they were receiving an actual treatment to cure the disease (they were not). The government used these men as lab subjects to see how the disease would ravage the human body. No truth, no treatment, no compassion, and no concern for these men by the U.S. government. Sounds just like what we witnessed in 2020, huh?

My first knowledge of this American experiment on black men was when the 1997 movie, Ms. Evers Boys was released. This movie depicts the experiences of the black nurse who was brought in to help convince the men to continue to come in for treatment. The term bad blood was suggested by Eunice Evers and was used to highlight the need for the men to come in to be treated. The process continued even when it was discovered in 1947 that penicillin was an effective treatment for syphilis. The government officials running the Tuskegee Study were not interested in curing the men but watching how the disease impacted the body of black men.

The Tuskegee Study experiment on black men was ended in 1972 when news articles were published detailing what the government was doing down in Alabama.

A $10 million dollar settlement was reached in 1974 for the survivors and families of deceased study participants. Imagine the physical and mental damage done to these people by the governmental study?

This is one study we know about.

How many others has the American government conducted?

Do you understand why some people are afraid of the American government vaccine programs?

“Distrust and caution are the parents of security”.

(Benjamin Franklin)

Learn more here:

Black History is 365!

(Image by Greg Montani from Pixabay)

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life”.

(Muhammad Ali)

Another Black History month has come and gone.

What did you do to commemorate the great things you learned during past Black History months? How did your community or work organization celebrate the one month out of the year set aside to highlight Black History?

Yes, I am happy we get a month to showcase the great things black people have done and celebrate things we are currently doing. This year just seems a bit subdued—it could be because of COVID-19 but it seems the month flew by and not much was celebrated. I saw a few spots on TV discussing Black History month and the importance of remembering the past but nothing really jumped out at me as a highlight. I hope the country did not go into a shell because of the insurrection that occurred on January 6, 2021. Just a thought!

My Black History month moment came as a complete surprise to me. I saw an Instagram story from my niece Jayla that read: So sad, none of this is taught in school.

Look at the list below and tell me how many of these things you knew were invented by a black person:

Product	Inventor	Date
Air Conditioning Unit	Frederick M. Jones	1949
Almanac	Benjamin Banneker	1791
Auto Cut off switch	Granville T. Woods	1839
Auto Fishing Device	George Cook	1899
Baby Buggy	William H. Richardson	1889
Biscuit Cutter	Alexander P. Ashbourne	1875
Blood Plasma Bag	Charles Drew	1945
Clothes Dryer	George T. Sampson	1971
Curtain Rod Support	William S. Grant	1896
Door Knob	Osbourn Dorsey	1878
Door Stop	Osbourn Dorsey	1878
Elevator	Alexander Miles	1867
Fire Escape Ladder	Joseph W. Winters	1878
Fire Extinguisher	Thomas Marshall	1872
Folding Chair	Nathaniel Alexander	1911
Gas Mask	Garrett Morgan	1914
Golf Tee	George T. Grant	1899
Ice Cream Scoop	Alfred L. Cralle	1897
Ironing Board	Sarah Boone	1887
Lantern	Michael C. Harvey	1884
Mail Box	Paul L. Downing	1891
Peanut Butter	George W. Carver	1896
Pencil Sharpener	John L. Love	1897
Spark Plug	Edmond Berger	1839
Stethoscope	Thomas A. Carrington	1876
Straightening Comb	Madam C. J. Walker	1905
Street Sweeper	Charles B. Brooks	1890
Thermostat Control	Frederick M. Jones	1960
Traffic Light	Garrett Morgan	1923
Tricycle	Matthew A. Cherry	1886

I pride myself in knowing history but could only match three inventions to inventors:

Traffic light (Garret Morgan)
Straightening comb (Madame C. J. Walker)
Peanut butter (George Washington Carver)

Everything else on this list was brand new to me. How can this be? We are taught a modified version of history in school. It is completely one sided and it appears we are supposed to learn as much as possible in February so we can get back to the regularly scheduled history program. Imagine growing up in a country that shares tidbits of your history—how would you feel when you finally discover great things were being kept from you?

I waited for February to end before diving into Black History to extend the conversation. Yes, I am happy to have a month dedicated to my history but as you can see from the list above, we need more time. How can someone invent the elevator in 1867 and we have no knowledge of this fact? I apologize, maybe it is just me with no knowledge of this fact, but my point is this was a MAJOR invention, but we do not pay homage to Alexander Miles. Truth be told, I never heard his name before. How is that possible? Thanks to Sarah Boone I can iron my clothes daily, so I have a pressed look at work. Imagine how we would look if she did not invent the ironing board? How would the mailman deliver your mail without Paul L. Downing? I am sure most people in the world still use some version of the mailbox.

So, Black History Month is over, but your lessons do not have to stop. I encourage you to continue to seek out Black History and share with others. We all have a lot to learn—let’s get to it! 😊

What did you learn during Black History month? How do you plan to keep the conversation going? Thanks!

“If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go”.(James Baldwin)

Black 14: Wyoming Football legacy

“He who commits injustice is ever made more wretched than he who suffers it”.

(Plato)

My Walk into the Future for 2020 has been an interesting journey so far. Not complaining because there are worse things in life than maintaining physical distance during a time of COVID-19.

The most interesting part has been the ability for me to find a new voice and interest in documenting injustices that are happening in plain sight in America. The current news cycle seems to identify another racial injustice daily in America—that may be a slight exaggeration, but you may have to walk in my shoes to prove that.

My latest injustice knowledge came through a research show on ESPN titled the Black 14. I did not stop to watch the program initially because it centered around the University of Wyoming football team and I never had interest with anything in Wyoming. Decided to sit a bit and see what the program was about since I could not make it to the beach due to bad weather—lucky me! 😊

The Black 14 were 14 black football players who were recruited to the University of Wyoming football team from every corner of America. These players wanted to be a part of something different and chose to play football in Wyoming. I later learned there initially were 17 black players on the team but 3 quit the team earlier.

The racial turmoil of 1969 made it out to Wyoming in the form of protests in and around the University of Wyoming campus. The Black 14 were not part of the student organizations who protested injustices but wanted to take a stand against the racism of the Mormon church which founded Brigham Young University (BYU).

The Black 14 wanted to wear black armbands with the number 14 to signify unity when the University of Wyoming football team played against BYU. The players decided to approach their head coach with the REQUEST to wear the arm bands during the game. The coach saw this request from the Black 14 as a rebellion against him (white guy) and his authority. Again, the Black 14 went to ask permission to wear armbands. Fast forward and the Black 14 were dismissed from the team because they were creating a fragmented locker room according to their coach.

Their dismissal was appealed but the Black 14 were still kicked off the team even with most of the students on-campus in support of what they wanted to do. The Black 14 never got another chance to play for the University of Wyoming together again. Some stayed around the campus and were let back on the team the following year. Others made their way to smaller schools to complete their playing careers. They never got an apology or full explanation of why they were kicked off the team. A side note to this story is the University of Wyoming football program has never regained a national place in the college football world after the Black 14 were kicked off the team. Karma is real!

Imagine you go to an authority figure to ask for permission for something but get kicked out for simply asking. These men were damaged for just trying to do what others around the country could do freely.

Sadly, it took the University of Wyoming 50 years to issue a formal apology and welcome the Black 14 back to campus. This is a start but imagine how these men felt over the past 50 years. Happy they got their apology but makes me wonder how many other Black 14’s, Black 27’s, Black 3’s we never hear about.

2020 has proven to be my year of enlightenment and learning more about America. There appears to be a lot left for me to learn.

“If you can’t eliminate injustice, at least tell everyone about it”.

(Shirin Ebadi)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-14-kicked-wyoming-football-team-receives-apology-after-50-n1080671

Vote next week!

Poetic Fridays

(Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay)

The Revolution is being televised

The Revolution is being televised

America can no longer hide behind the lies

We see the injustices daily

The same ones that leave us flailing

Just like we had when we sang ‘We shall overcome’

How long does the revolution need to go on?

Before the injustices of this land come to an end

Lucky for us the cameras have begun to roll

Because without the footage nobody would believe the carnage

That occurs daily and causes fear

That continues to show on the nightly news

Even though the perpetrators know they are recorded

The Revolution is being televised

But, does it matter?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/09/19/why-louisville-nation-has-been-rocked-with-protests-in-2020/3484320001/

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/23/us/gallery/breonna-taylor-protests/index.html

Black Wall Street

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Hostility Sculpture in Tulsa, Oklahoma

(Image by Mike Goad from Pixabay)

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.

(Dr. Martin Luther King)

One of the students present asked the moderator why the activities for the week was labeled Black Wall Street? The response is where my education on the subject began.

Learn more about what happened in Greenwood here:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoinegara/2020/06/18/the-bezos-of-black-wall-street-tulsa-race-riots-1921/#65183f08f321

60 Minutes program on Greenwood, Oklahoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA8t8PW-OkA

“History has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own”.

(Michelle Obama)

Black Lives Matter Role Call

justice-2755765_1920

(Image by CQF-avocat from Pixabay)

“Usually when people are sad, they don’t do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change.”

(Malcolm X.)

Guess it is time to get angry again. Day after day we read of another black person being killed in America for no reason other than being black. Terribly sad to keep writing this same line month after month after month. We cannot go a month without another instance of police killing or shooting someone black simply because they are black.

American politicians condemn OTHER countries for violating the human rights of their citizens but have nothing to say when black people are brutalized in America. The Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un receives the wrath of the American political system when he imprisons his citizens for no cause but police killing a black person in America gets nothing. Weird world, huh?

Chinese troops storm Tiananmen Square in 1989 and killed over 300 Chinese citizens and three weeks later the U.S. CONGRESS votes to impose economic sanctions on the Peoples Republic of China. The Chinese government brutalized Chinese citizens and the U.S. government was so appalled that we imposed sanctions and condemned the Chinese government. Police killing black people in America gets nothing.

Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen is attacked, beaten, killed, and dismembered by officials of the Saudi Arabian government at the consulate in Turkey. Multiple senators and congress members swiftly condemned this act and DEMANDED the Saudi government do something. Black man gets shot in the back SEVEN times in Wisconsin gets nothing.

Citizens of Hong Kong protest for human rights against the Chinese government and the United States government passes the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act on 27 November 2019. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1838/text. Americans march daily for police reform, human rights, equal treatment and to stop the senseless killing of black people—no Human Rights and Democracy Act for the death of black Americans. Would say that is a double standard but it is more joke than anything else.

Marching, praying, and voting have not ignited the change needed in America. Maybe Malcolm X. was right all the time—we need our day in court at the United Nations to put America on trial for neglect of citizens. The daily videos of black people being beaten, brutalized, and killed would present an open and shut case in a court of law.

My court argument would be:

How do you defend a cop’s knee on a black man’s neck (George Floyd) for 8 minutes and 46 seconds?
How do you defend Louisville cops with a no knock warrant shooting a black women (Breonna Taylor) who was in the BED?
How do you defend three Georgia overzealous citizens who run down, trap and then kill a black man (Ahmaud Arbery) out for a jog?
How do you defend a Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer who shot a black man (Jacob Blake) 7 times in the BACK in front of his kids?
How do you plead America?

Verdict: guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty.

The defense rests, being black in America is an exhausting experience.

Please vote—thank you!

“We declare our right on this earth to be a man, to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary”.

(Malcolm X.)

Always remember Rosewood, Florida

Justice

(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

(Nelson Mandela)

Learn more about Rosewood, Florida here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/03/rosewood-florida-massacre-racial-violence-reparations

“The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the American society”.

(John Lewis)

Repost from August 20, 2020.

Walking and being black in America!

Candles

(Image by Pexels from Pixabay)

“To be black and conscious in America is to be in a constant state of rage”.

(James Baldwin)

“I’m a black man in America so I always feel there’s a target on me”.

(Wale)

The Walk into the Future blog has provided me with a creative outlet where I can share my thoughts, leadership philosophy and life adventures. It puts a smile on my face when I look back at this journey and see the quality of my writing and content improve daily. Never thought an electronic journal would become such a huge part of my daily life. I smile every time someone follows the blog or sends me a comment.

Well, I did not smile so much today!

The battle we fight daily as black men in America has been playing out on every major TV network first with Ahmaud Arbery (killed jogging), then Breonna Taylor (killed sleeping) and now George Floyd (killed while handcuffed). Think about that last sentence for a minute!

I know there are others out there who have faced the wrath of America but there was not video evidence of what happened to them. Black America has been hoping and praying these incidents would stop and we can fully engage in the American dream—good thing I am not holding my breath—this never seems to end! Why not? I know this is not a simple question to answer but it needs to get answered soon.

Got several text messages from my friends to check on me to see how I am doing with all of this. Thank you for thinking of me and reaching out!

Think it hits closer to home with my friends because they know how much I am out and about with my running program. Seeing a black man get killed while out for a run highlighted our plight to my friends—yes, that could have been me. I have had to reassure my mom, brothers, and friends that I am doing everything I can to stay safe when I am out for a run. Sad to say I must think about being able to make it home safely when I go out for a run. How many who read my blog have these thoughts when you go for a run? Life is weird, huh?

My running outfits are selected to provide me with the most visibility as possible. The extreme bright, loud, and sometimes fluorescent colors are used so everyone will know I am not hiding anything or trying to blend in. I want to be visible and remembered by everyone who sees me running through their neighborhood. I also make a point to speak, wave, and smile at everyone I encounter because I do not want them to feel threatened. Surprisingly, most do not wave back but that is not the point of my actions. I smile and wave whenever I see a police car drive by too. Cannot be seen as a threat while exercising!

(Do I look like a runner?)

I also make a point to carry my retired Air Force identification card when I am on my runs in case I encounter police. I have found police are less threatened when they realize they are talking with someone who has served the country.

When driving I always show my military identification if I get pulled over for any reason first, then I provide whatever identification is requested. Please know both hands remain on the steering wheel and then I explain in a clear, distinct voice what I am doing if ordered to produce anything else. I am sure most black people follow this same process to avoid misunderstandings that leads to…you know!

Being a black man in America is exhausting! I have a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, a Master’s degree in Counseling/Human Relations, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Air Force retiree identification and recognized nationally for authentic leadership development.

Now, imagine what black men without my credentials must do to survive in America. The insanity must stop!

NOTE: I will get back to my normal tone next week—thanks for allowing me to vent.

“I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color”.

(Malcolm X.)

“Usually, when people are sad, they don’t do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they are angry, they bring about change”.

(Malcolm X.)

Time for change—let’s get out and vote, remain vigilant and demand change—we must do better!

How can you help?

Start a voter registration campaign
Sign a petition
- https://colorofchange.org/
- https://www.change.org/
Stay vigilant

Great article: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/05/29/george-floyd-ahmaud-arbery-killings-make-hard-blacks-breathe-column/5278108002/

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