In 2019, one of our prophets, Mr. Spike Lee, reminded me that the first persons of my color to experience bondage in this country arrived at the same time the colonizers did in 1619. Although this revelation was not new news to me, it was refreshing to see an entertainer make a connection between slavery, equality, and justice. Meanwhile, I’ve pondered over and over why it had taken one of my idols 33 years to receive the coveted Oscar-the gold standard of excellence in film. I’ve tried my best to overlook the racist ideologies that made this a fact, but I was unsuccessful. Since that fretful moment in history 400 years to 2019, African Americans experienced joy, pain, love, and incredible amounts of loss. Yet, he has been a consistent, steadfast voice of reason who has sought to shed light on these realities for an entire career. I was just happy that he received his flowers while he was alive!

That was 2019, and before I knew it, 2020 came in and revealed some of the ugliest truths I'd ever seen. In reflecting on the most popular stories from news media outlets today, I find it increasingly difficult to remain hopeful, and I can only imagine what my students are experiencing. Nevertheless, when I looked at my clock this morning, -the moment it struck Midnight, I found a spark of inspiration. Currently, in February 2021, students from one of my courses are studying African American history as it relates to the earlier Civil Rights movements and the differing ideological theories of attaining equity during the turn of the century. Although these are some the same courses from the previous semesters, I feel as if I learn something new each year. 

Black history month began in 1926, and most of the people we celebrate today weren’t even born before then! As I prepared for my current class, I reviewed a passage by  Maya Angelou, entitled “Graduation”. The word along helped me contextualize my emotions. There is this universal sense, albeit false, that we as American have graduated from racism and bigotry. In this particular passage by Maya Angelou, she recalls how a powerful guest speaker (of European-American ancestry) reminded the students that they had made it through the throngs of grade school, and now as 8th grade graduates, they could aspire to be the best baseball players and track stars from Arkansas. Someone would be in need of a janitor or a field hand, and if some ironing needed to be done, they had the skills to crisp a mean collar! Dr. Angelou was devastated back in 1940 when her future was read to her over the podium. Instead of reflecting on the man’s meanness, she recalled this instance of blatant racism through lenses of achievement. She made a magnificent parallel to the monumental accomplishments of other African Americans who had faced similar circumstances.

Likewise, as I read through her biography and reflected on her accomplishments, her story paralleled the same stories she recalled as inspiration. On the surface, her anecdote revealed some hidden gems about George Washington carver. It taught me all about what George Washington Carver and so many countless others went through in order to become great. Mr. was a bootblack, a lowly job in both the metaphorical and physical sense, yet somehow he  had the foresight to become someone of great merit. However, even if he did nothing at all, he would always remain great because of his steadfastness, his earnestness that he would pass along to the next generation. I imagine that the athletes and service employees encompassed all that was visible for Maya to aspire to become. Perhaps the history lessons of others filled in the gaps for her. But, what about in 2021? Are service workers, athletes, and entertainers the gold standard for the next generation of people of color. As I reflected, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

-I lapsed into this vivid dream. I saw a box, and inside of that box was a caption. I looked closely at the caption: 

7 Black Boys Were Caught on Camera.

I found myself waiting on the calamity of

the verb….on camera saying, doing, being, acting

Instead, they were caught on camera

exuding…. EXCELLENCE

It blew my mind not that they were doing the right things,

But the fact that so little of this

narrative is ever scene.

The man who posted the film encouraged

them to keep pushing….to keep using their good Friday to do good things.

Instead of turning UP, they were turning open a textbook. 

They were ingesting knowledge as the

designated substance, not stimulants, sedatives, or opiates.

They were operatives of optimism and they

celebrated substantive masculinity.

We are not poison, we are not toxic, even

if the world has dumped their waist in our backyards. 

Even if the remnants of hatred, greed, and

bigotry seeped into our water systems like Flint, Michigan. 

I woke up startled from this singular thought: Why is it that the exceptions are so few, and it seems so far between? Perhaps it is a matter of perception. Therefore, for the remainder of the year, I commit to shed light-hope onto the current generation by enlightening us all the way the good Dr. enlightened me. If YOU CAN SEE GREATNESS, YOU CAN BE GREATNESS.  Be on the look out for new and innovative ways of celebrating exceptional icons as well as regular black folk like myself who have found a way to attain success despite the realities of racism and bigotry. We still have obtained graduate degrees in resiliency. There is work to do, and I am looking to see-both physically and metaphorically, who will help carry the torch.

-D’Anthony M. Allen