Posted on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 by Kevin Jackson
There is a rule that nobody talks about your Mama! Yet today, blacks unwittingly do what we would never allow anybody else to do–at least without a fight–and that is talk our mothers down. It happens every time somebody talks America down.
If American women in general are the heart of America, black women are certainly its soul. Aside from running the household for many white women back in the mid-1900’s, black women were the confidantes of the ladies of the house for whom many black women worked as servants, caretakers, nannies, and maids.
In these roles black women were privy to and entrusted with the most critical information. The white women of yesteryear told our mothers and grandmothers their deepest darkest secrets, things they may not share with anyone, not even their own mothers. Black women were in many cases these women’s closest friends and staunchest allies.
I watched this type of relationship develop between my grandmother and Betty, the matriarch of the family for whom she worked. That relationship was most evident when Betty’s grand-daughter Ramona was killed in a tragic accident on the ranch where I grew up—the ranch that Betty owned.
I recall my grandmother made the phone call to Betty to explain that the welds had failed on the seats mounted on one of the hunting vehicles. Ramona and her boyfriend seated outside, riding essentially on the hood of the vehicle had been run over. The young man was killed instantly, Ramona died shortly thereafter.
Betty flew in on her private jet to the small airstrip outside of Brady, where a sheriff’s vehicle waited to bring her to the ranch. I was told that my grandmother held Betty in her arms, comforting her, when Betty whispered to my grandmother, “I don’t know what I would do without you. You’re my best friend.” Those scenarios played out in many homes all across America back then.
Black women of yore taught respect in their homes. Children were raised to understand that the world is watching, so you must behave. We were constantly reminded of those who came before us, like Jesse Owens, Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson, Wilma Rudolph, Althea Gibson, and many other black “firsts.” Our decorum was patterned after such black gentlemen and ladies. It started with how one greeted one’s elders.
Black women taught black children to show deference to elders no matter their color by calling them Sir or Ma’am. To do so to whites was not to kowtow, but to show them that no matter how you treat us, we will always take the high ground, though many white children called black men and women boy or girl…or worse.
I recall the first time I heard one of my white friends—age eleven—curse his father for telling the child to hurry up. I was amazed that his father hadn’t “knocked him into next week,” because I could picture the back of my grandmother’s hand approaching my face like a slow-motion dollyshot had I said what my friend said. I assure you that I would have only been able to picture it in my mind’s eye, because it would have happened too quickly for me to see the shot with my naked eye!
Black women of that generation raised two families…theirs and the children of the families for whom they worked. Because of this, black women raised many of the white leaders of today, male and female. Black women taught young white children lessons of life, things that white parents were unable to teach. There was something about white children seeing black women’s work ethic that made them listen to our women.
Black women kept their families nuclear. In 1950 78 percent of black families had two parents (married couple), and only 18 percent were single parent (female householder, no husband present) homes. By 1991, only 48 percent of black families were dual-parent homes, while 46 percent were single mother homes. In the decade since 1991, both statistics have gotten dramatically worse.
Back then black women raised men, not boys! Sons had responsibilities and were accountable, and mothers cautioned against unchaste women. Men picked women who reminded them of their mothers, and with rare exception men knew where all their children were. Men supported their families until the day they died.
Black women of that era taught independence and scoffed at the idea of welfare. They raised young ladies, not promiscuous girls. Education was stressed, and blacks in prison were the exception, not the rule.
Here’s the wrap:
Liberals will argue that lives of blacks since the 1950’s have improved dramatically, and financially life certainly did improve for blacks. However it had nothing to do with Liberal Democrats; it was due to the policies of Republicans! With Republican policies in place, blacks were headed for what could only be described as The Black Renaissance. The 1950’s black person was trusted, and believe it or not one of the most respected people of the time.
Had blacks not bought into the policies of the Democrats, like FDR and LBJ, I contend that blacks would have proportionate representation in things like business ownership, home ownership, getting our fair share—and it would be without government handouts or interference, based on merit. That conclusion was just a matter of time.
Had the Democrats not implemented the Raw Deal and The InGrate Society, blacks would not have the worst statistics for high-school dropout rates, college entrance rates, and college graduation rates—blacks lead negatively in all three categories.
The demise of the black community came the same way one puts on weight…one ounce at a time. Democrats accomplished it the same way they have done things for decades…baby steps. Despite the best efforts of black women, blacks have been lab rats for years in Democrats’ social experimentation.
The experiment failed in helping blacks, but then helping blacks was never the intent—the Democrat agenda of tricking generations of blacks was the real intent.
Democrats didn’t trick all blacks, however. A few of us escaped through the holes in the net.
As for me, I love America. When I think about America, I get warm and fuzzy feelings about my grandmother. Because her legacy indeed represents the soul of America.
Oh, and nobody talks about my Mama!
Kevin Jackson is author of the Amazon best-selling book, The BIG Black Lie, as well as The Black Sphere blog. Kevin is a regular guest on The Glenn Beck Show, and can be heard every Thursday on Allman in the Morning at 97.1 FM Fox News radio.
© 2010 Kevin Jackson – The Black Sphere All Rights reserved.
DaSicilian says:
March 11, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Well Kevin…I am going to talk about your Mama! And mine, too…you wrote the following in your essay:
“Children were raised to understand that the world is watching, so you must behave. ”
“Black women taught black children to show deference to elders no matter their color by calling them Sir or Ma’am. ”
“Back then black women raised men, not boys! Sons had responsibilities and were accountable, and mothers cautioned against unchaste women”
“Black women of that era taught independence and scoffed at the idea of welfare. They raised young ladies, not promiscuous girls.”
Kevin – MOST of us were raised/taught that way…Show deference to adults/elders; you were accountable – and not just for yourself – but others, too; independence & responsibility for self; God, family and country were the most important things in life; suck it up and be a man!
These were all attributes/moral ‘talents’ that were not only taught – but we were expected to live by!
You may be right in your assessment that things in the Black community may be better had you not followed the washingtonian pied pipers – but the bottom line here is this…WE the PEOPLE have all been duped and strayed away from what is right and decent. We must now pay the price of blindly following the Spocks & LBJs down the ‘ole social reform road.