On Being Black

“Up, up you mighty race you can accomplish what you will”! – Many decades after Marcus Mosiah Garvey made this declaration, many people of colour still struggle to overcome a deeply rooted feeling of inferiority, feelings that are apparently coupled with being of African descent.  It is ironic that even as Jamaicans celebrated black history just last month many still grapple with what appears to be the unfortunate reality of being black.  The intense debate continues publicly and in private over whether the longstanding practice of skin bleaching should be banned. There is the search to discover the underlying reasons for, and the consequences of people resorting to what is nothing short of a drastic measure for acceptance and to be part of the in-group.

Skin bleaching is a frequent practice to lighten the pigment of the skin.  This practice, though once the domain of lower stratum females, has seen an insurgence of involvement from those  occupying middle to upper class status, males included. Most prominent of thee males is the now incarcerated ‘Portmore Empire’ leader. The practice has caught on heavily among many of those that may be described as anything else other than Caucasian.

A connection between a low self-esteem and skin bleaching is apparent since the argument is that if an individual were comfortable with himself then he would not fall prey to the societal pressure to change his natural attributes. Though there is a staunch denial from the bleaching population, this measure is nothing short of self hate.

In an attempt to be fair to those who succumb to such pressure however, the practice may not have been so widespread if the idea that ‘anything black no good’ were not so deeply rooted in psychics, sewn by the seeds of former plantation owners during the period of slavery.  Note however, that slavery alone does not account for the psychological trappings that entangle black people; our creator has equally blessed each person with the power of choice. 

The words of reggae legend, Bob Marley made the appeal for mental freedom, the echoes of his words “emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds” still resounds in the ears of many. This simple but profound message embodies total freedom; yet some may say freedom has no limit and therefore one should be free to do whatever he chooses, ‘bleaching’ included.  The reality though is that there is no such thing as total freedom, this is a utopian aspiration that can never really be attained. 

Marley recognized that in spite of the abolition of slavery, its remnants still linger mentally.  Notwithstanding, blacks worldwide have made significant strides in all spheres of life, climbing the ladder of success, enduringly, and holding on tirelessly to all its tiers, resting if they must but not ceasing until they have reached a climax. 

The question arises as to whether this race can really celebrate, if after all these accomplishments, people of colour are still uncomfortable with the texture of their hair, the colour of their skin, the size of their lips, buttocks, noses, and overall stature.  It is this lack of approval of these features that they have seen many spending exorbitant amounts in an attempt to seek acceptance by others.  Is it that the colour of their skin is a constant reminder of the journey from Africa and unto the plantation?  Many deny this claim vehemently with their words but their actions loudly echo another story.

All individuals have what can be termed a survival instinct.  This instinct gets into gear when the thoughts arise that livelihoods may be threatened.  The status quo of uneven distribution of opportunities and by extension, wealth, lays the foundation for dark-skinned individuals to cling to their feelings of insecurity. For example, there seem to be a natural bias in favour of the lighter skinned job seekers even when they possess the same or even less academic qualifications.

Could it be that the tendency for employers to employ light-skinned persons in some positions makes dark skinned individuals more susceptible to seeking a change in skin colour?   Studies have shown that opportunities are not equal among dark and light-skinned persons alike; more opportunities are usually bestowed if your skin pigmentation is on the lighter side of the colour continuum; again, this can be attributed to the plantation where mulattos were given privileges which were never awarded to those having only “black blood”.

Garvey, et al

Nevertheless, concerns such as bleaching, racial and class barriers have been slowly crumbling; black power advocates of the 1920s have contributed significantly to this improvement among the human race. Three of these advocates worthy of mention are Booker T. Washington, and William Edward B. Du Bois and a distinguished Jamaican, Marcus Mosiah Garvey.  Like William E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington, Garvey advocated a better life for blacks.  The difference among them however is that Washington posited that blacks should accept the position of second best compared to their white counterparts while Garvey would have none of that.   Du Bois’ academic and middle class background secured a following of blacks that was richer and more intellectually advanced though a smaller number compared to Garvey.  Interestingly, it was Garvey’s teaching that influenced Caribbean people in general and Jamaicans in particular.

Marcus Garvey

Garvey who lived from 1887-1940 hailed from the garden parish of St. Ann. He left school at the age of 14 but would grow up to be more than simply a ‘drop-out’.  His first defense of his race came when he obtained employment at a printer’s factory and eventually led a protest in 1907 for higher wages.

A few years later Garvey landed on English soil where his love for African history and culture blossomed, making the welfare of poor blacks his fundamental concern.  He believed that, “once the African blood courses through the veins you belong to ‘the company of Negroes,’ and there is no getting away from it”, he knew being black was his reality but felt that if they were empowered great things could be accomplished.

By 1914, he was deported to Jamaica where he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA).  This movement eventually grew to over 40 countries including the United States of America, Cuba, South Africa and Central America.  By this time, the mostly self-taught Garvey evolved into one of the most eloquent speakers around.  He had thousands of people listening with gusto to his emotionally charged speeches; he emphasized what it means to be poor and black, at all times aiming to inspire confidence in his fellow men.

Garvey relocated to the US in 1916, a few years later he created the Black Star Line, a vessel that was should become the mode of transportation of Africans back to Africa.  This was his pride and joy, being a relentless advocate of blacks traveling back to their homeland, Africa.

In addition to the various causes that Garvey lent his efforts to, education ranked high on his scorecard; he went on a mission to establish secondary schools in Jamaica, one in every parish.  Since it appears that blacks are borne with a biological disadvantage, they should aim to make up for this deficiency by achievement rather than ascription.

 

Garvey died in 1940 in England.   He became Jamaica’s first national hero in 1964 when his body returned to the former British colony, which at the time was in its 2^nd year of independence.  It would have been a total disgrace to Garvey’s memory if the confidence he sought to inspire in man were not transmitted from generation to generation. The struggle continues for man to accept himself for who he is.