November 1st, 2006
Geneology,part 1
Black achievement is up and we have a larger middle class than ever before. We have doctors, lawyers and business people that are striving to live the American dream. A challenge in our community is the under achievement of young black men. 1 of 3 young men, ages 21-29, are a part of the prison system and by 4th grade, 65% of young black boys are reading below their grade level. For white male students the reading grade level is 29%.
One theory is that we do not know our history. We do not have the knowledge of our ancestry like other races. We have been robbed of our history and as a result of this, has lead to a low self-esteem and lack of racial pride. Now if our black boys are too serious about school, they are accussed of acting white. Many families are trying to connect with the past and learn their history. Our history has proven that we were once kings and queens in Africia prior to the slave trade. Check out this link and see if you can discover your families heritage. Tomorrow I will provide part II, and another option for finding your family tree.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061027/ap_on_hi_te/slave_records&printer=1
November 9th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
As a local black historian I will say that we all need to stop pointing the finger and admit that we don’t know our own geneology and local history. If we invested time in our family roots we wouldn’t have to make general statements that we were once kings and queens. Once you do your own family geneology, not that of other family members, you will find that you will have a better understanding of all black history. This is when you fully comprehend and start to feel their pain. Once you understand where you came from, you will find success much easier to obtain.
November 9th, 2006 at 6:49 pm
Glenn, thank you for your comments, your knowledge and understanding of our place in history, is something we all can learn from. You are right in every thing you wrote. There are so much bad stuff said about us, that any bright spot I can find I will use. Black people do have a history of having Kings and Queens and your point is to know our own family story and not take somone else. When you are followed around a store or stopped when driving one of your high end autos, it is not about you but the perceptions of all of us. The bad stuff is ours and I think we should claim some of the good as well. I am honored you commented. Thankyou.