A great man once said, “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individual concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King also urged America and the world to press towards the mark of judging people based on the content of their character and away from the color of their skin. He lived his life being a drum major for peace; and became a well deserving recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. In his thirty nine short years, he helped to raise the conscience of America bringing us all closer to the true meaning of the Constitution. He understood that a rising tide lifts all boats and when it recedes all men are diminished.
Booker T. Washington fought tirelessly for freedom, self-reliance, and dignity. He urged all Americans to cast down their buckets where they were; using the gifts, talents, and abilities of her entire citizenry to lift the tide of peace and prosperity. In his fifty nine years he not only built Tuskegee university which stands today as a beacon light of his legacy but he also forged partnerships with Americans of all races who demonstrated an interest in elevating our global brand. His collaboration with Julius Rosenwald to build over 5000 schools, shops, and teachers’ homes primarily for the education of African American children in the South illuminates their good nature and patriotic spirit.
There is a stark difference in the goals of the highly publicized Black movements of today from that of the more pure and noble Black movements of our past. Today’s Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) movements focus primarily on the necessity for equity associated leftist communities by using the struggles of Black people in America, as a cover, to achieve their ends. When examining a movement, it is vitally important to first survey the leadership and its participants. Their activities via riots are laced with the members of the group called Antifa. This combination along with the theoretical foundation provided by CRT, that all white people are racists and America is defined solely within racial confines; ignited a storm of hate and destruction of epic and historical proportion.
CRT lays out the premise that whiteness in America automatically grants privileges to all of the individuals within that group and denies privileges and opportunities to all Black Americans. This theory is narrowly focused and minimally tested for its applicability in today’s America. Our nation cannot be characterized by using a zero sum approach. One group of people do not always win thereby forcing another group of people to always lose. Our success or failure does not depend on whether we are Black, White, Brown, or any other color; rather it is driven by the content of our character and our willingness to work hard. CRT does not leave room for the identification of the positive and negative forces that exist within all races of people and governments. It does not acknowledge the greatness of humanity so prevalent in the founders of our nation, the framers of the Declaration of Independence, the signers of the American Constitution and the patriots of the American Revolution. Critical Race Theory by an inescapable measure fails drastically to pay homage to those Black Americans who bravely laid down their lives in the American Revolution, fought valiantly to make the statement true, that all men are created equal and have sacrificed diligently to uphold the constitution.
At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement (History.com). It has been announced that BLM has received over 90 million dollars in donations (thehill.com), however its leadership has made no mention of turning it all over to the furtherance of the movement to advance Black Americans but this isn’t the civil rights movement and they aren’t Dr. King. Frederick Douglas believed so strongly in the American experiment that he gave two of his sons to fight in the civil war. He worked as a close advisor to President Lincoln, as a free Black man. And Booker T. Washington worked closely with Julius Rosenwald to help lift both Black and White Americans. Together they helped to rebuild the South by 1932 (Philanthropy Round Table). Sadly, CRT does not take in to account these collaborative interaction and their notable accomplishments.
Finally my friends, it is dangerous and reckless to elevate a theory that does not examine the phenomenon in its entirety. In doing so the author runs the risk of creating a global theory responding exclusively to a single problem that has become a manifestation within her own mind. In short, CRT and BLM are ideas and concepts that lack maturation when viewed upon the broad canvas of humanity. However, Frederick Douglas’s “If there is no struggle, there is no Progress”, Booker T. Washington’s “Up From Slavery”, and Martin Luther King’s “Dream” are all quintessential examples of what has played a significant role in making the coat of many colors called America. The Booker T. Washington Initiative is committed to thoroughly examining the facts and bringing the truth; fair and balanced. Our goal is to establish a clear and sustainable pathway to peace and prosperity. Together we can change the world; beginning right here in the Lone Star State!