Essay excerpt from Cathy Hughes

In order to protect our history and legacy, we have to take ownership of it. It’s our images, our news, our chronological story, and our inheritance. We cannot expect other groups, be it intentionally or unintentionally, to accurately describe, portray and empower us. We need to document, preserve and build our own stories, from our own perspectives. A lot of the omission from history books that we classify as racism is actually just ignorance on the part of the writers who do not understand our culture – so it’s just easier for them not to tell the story at all. Completely eliminating us from certain accounts and concentrating on their own is often just plain lack of knowledge. Self-preservation is the first law of nature, so every culture looks out for their “own” first. That’s what we should be about, but whenever Black people practice it, there seems to always be a cry of alarm.  Perhaps guilt is the reason for that concern. Read more…

OTHER ESSAY EXCERPTS
1. The Family Must Stand – The Honorable Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI)
22. Soul Survivor – Isaac Hayes
25. Bridging the Divide – Otis Moss
29. Love, Marriage, and Struggle (from With Ossie & Ruby: OTLT) – Ruby Dee
39. Actionable Pride – Cathy Hughes
53. Something Extraordinary, Something Unique: It’s Up to You – Thurbert Baker
54. The Psychology of Beauty – Beverly Johnson