A. We’ve Gotten Our 15 Minutes Of Fame!

Black men speak up for outlook that’s positive

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

04/08/2008

Sylvester Brown Jr. [More columns] [Sylvester’s Biography]

The casually dressed men gathered in Anthony Neal’s living room on Sunday didn’t come to guzzle long necks, slap palms or watch a testosterone-driven sporting event. When they introduced themselves, they gave their occupations — “professor,” “educator,” “coach,” “marketing director,” “entrepreneur.”They gathered in Neal’s north St. Louis County home for the quarterly meeting of Black Men Speak Up. The regular gathering gives them an opportunity to vent — sometimes about racism, other times to criticize their own race. They meet to share, inspire and challenge one another. But mostly, they gather to exhale.

“The greatest benefit of the group is simple — to interrupt the negative messages we receive about black men and to offer support to one another,” said Robert V. Evans, director of diversity at St. Louis University High School. “Too often we are bombarded with messages about the mistakes of the black man. This group exists to offer a broader picture to those myths.”

Muhammad Raqib, director of Education Talent Search CM in Edwardsville, said meeting with “professional, educated black men” challenges many of his political and social perceptions: “I think one way, but another brother might give me deeper insight on what he thinks.”

I found myself nodding often as the group discussed Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy, his pastor’s controversial comments, and the negative impact of young black criminals and foul-mouthed rappers. In this all-male, all-professional, all-black environment, there was no need for filters or worries that whites might confuse our passionate words with their own racial paranoia.I was invited to take part in the group’s discussion, “Black Men in the Media,” which focused on the recent cover of Vogue Magazine. The photo features NBA star LeBron James, teeth bared, clutching the elegantly clad Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen. The photo has sparked controversy, with some critics likening it to the poster featuring King Kong and Fay Wray in the 1930s.

Some in the group said the photo was insulting and racially insensitive. “Blacks are always singing, dancing or criminalized in the media,” Raqib said.

Others fluffed it off, saying “LeBron was just being LeBron,” displaying his usual attitude and “game face” on the cover.

It’s much deeper than that, said Maruice Mangum, a political science professor at SIUE who was at the meeting. The Vogue photo was “no accident,” Mangum said, adding that whites in the media routinely depict black males as aggressive or threatening. It becomes even more problematic, he said, when blacks, like LeBron, participate: “This is the first time an African-American (male) has appeared on the cover of Vogue,” Mangum said. “LeBron does what it takes to make money and does not care about the racial, social or political ramifications. It would be nice if athletes and entertainers thought more about their actions.”

Reggie Williams, an adjunct professor at Webster University, said the controversy speaks to the social and cultural disconnect among African-Americans.

“LeBron didn’t know the historical conversation around the ‘beauty and the beast’ concept, or the King Kong-black man and vulnerable white woman syndrome. It’s been in existence for many years. We have to remind our athletes of our racial history (in) film, print and other media.”

We covered the gamut. Many of us related to the candid fellow who discussed the “odd man out” social dynamic — not fitting the stereotype of the socially unconnected “black bourgeois” or the “Boyz in ‘Da Hood” type.

Yet, these extremes are projected most in the media. The only answer, says Neal, director of SIUE East St. Louis Charter School, is ownership: “This is why it is so important that we work to own our own stations and write our own programming — to tell a different story and provide a positive foundation for the next generation to stand on.”

The men don’t just talk about problems; some are actively involved with community groups and activities seeking solutions. Neal and at least two others work with Educational Equity Consultants, an organization of educators dedicated to addressing the achievement gap and training youth as future leaders.

Yes, we vented, but we also dreamed big dreams. It felt wonderful and, surprisingly, hopeful. Sharing my fears and social desires with this particular group reminded me of a line from the movie “Waiting to Exhale.”

“You know what inspiration is? It’s someone who lets you know life will go on and something beautiful can be waiting … waiting when you least expect it.”