New Directions

Volume 10 | Issue 2 Article 3

1-1-1983 Self-Affirmation Is Key to Success Leon H. Sullivan

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Recommended Citation Sullivan, Leon H. (1983) "Self-Affirmation Is Key to Success," New Directions: Vol. 10: Iss. 2, Article 3. Available at: http://dh.howard.edu/newdirections/vol10/iss2/3

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARVIN JONES 18 By Leon H. Sullivan

The following was excerpted from an ad- dress by Dr Leon Sullivan, at Howard Uni- versity's Opening Convocation, Septem- ber 24, 1982. Dr Sullivan is pastor of the Zion Baptist Church in and founder of the Opportunities Industrializa- tion Center, a massive jobs training pro- gram.

he past 30 years have been full of difficulty, of pathos; but also of prog- ress and of promise. Whatever Tothers may say looking back at where we were and where we are today, there has been progress. Black people in America have come a long way; we've done in America what many believed im- possible. Looking back 30 years, just one gener- ation, there were two Americas for most of us. There was Black America, and there was white America-as separate and dis- tinct as two America's could be. I know, because I was born and bred in Black America. Then came the civil rights revo- lution-building in the '50s and mounting in the '60s and '70s. And these walls [of separation] began to come down. The civil rights revolution was lead by racially-inspired and dedicated leaders who worked brilliantly and fearlessly for the progress and liberation of the race. Voices began to be heard-from leaders like Adam Clayton Powell, who did more to preach Black awareness and stir Black people to economic and political action than any individual in his day; A. Phillip Randolph, the architect of nonviolent di- rect action and the conceiver of the March on Washington idea; Malcolm X, who told it like it was and made white people realize that they might run America but they don't own itl Others like Medgar Ev- ers, , Kenneth Clark- [many] alumni of this great institution that has perhaps produced more leaders to lead the Black masses in the arts and sci- ences than any [other] historic Black in- stitution in America or the world. And we

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can never forget the contributions of Rosa rights movement was not helpful to our nation in America before, and we're not 19 Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King, whose cause. Most of the people in high public going through it anymore. dream still lives and whose message and and private places today would never I have so far spoken of group assertion. voice is recognized everywhere. have been there had it not been for the Forthe future of the race, the greater need As a result of the effort of these and so efforts of those who opened those doors. is for self-affirmation. I have spoken of many others in organizations like the Na- Don't forget the bridge that brought you progress from the civil rights revolution tional Association for the Advancement of over; you're here because someone else and the benefits we have seen, particu- Colored People, the great civil rights made it possible. And [what] we must do larly for the Black middle class.But look- movement beqan to change things. Two as we rise is to reach back and help ing at the greater need for the Black Americas began to become one America. someone else. None of us can succeed masses, the [important] thing now is for a And a new Black man was born, and a alone. mighty effort to move ahead in self- new white man was born in this country A Whatever our progress has been, we affirmation. new Black man who was no longer fearful cannot live in the past; we must look of white people and who began to stand ahead. A new challenge confronts us as a "It is time we unbrain-wash our unafraid upon his feet. A new Black man new conservatism has spread across the brain-washed minds." who was no longer afraid of the Ku Klux nation - not only in fiscal matters but in Klan and who, when they marched by, in- race relations. This new conservatism is stead of running away, began to lift up the already affecting every aspect of all of our Looking at the requirements of the long white robes to see what was under- American life. And it's already taken away present and the future, something new is neath. gains we have made and victories we [needed] to move us into the 21st century have won. We have seen the effects of this - what I call the 3 C's for the continuing And, a new white youth emerged on the new conservatism in race relations from advancement of the race. scene - symbolizing the story of the the White House, to the State House, to The first C we must teach is the C of mother who all during the summer pre- the Court House ... in attempts to extend confidence. Wemust teach our youth con- pared a little blonde child for the terrible such things as tax benefits to institutions fidence, to believe in themselves and their ordeal of going to a newly integrated that segregate, to water down civil rights capabilities and their futures. For 300 school.Every day she reminded her little enforcement efforts, and retreats from years, attempts have been made -con- girl of the awful experience ahead. When meaningful requirements for civil rights scious and unconscious - to take away the first day of school arrived, the mother regulations and opportunities. In every the confidence of Black people and to waved her little daughter off and told her community in America where Black strip us of our self-pride and our identities she'd be waiting for her when she re- people Iive -large and small- this new and to keep us in mental servitude. We turned. At 3 o'clock, the little girl came conservatism is being felt. Black America must not let this to continue. For 300 running back home. The mother, standing must not permit itto remain unchallenged. years, the teachings of the w,orld had put at the door, asked what happened. The locks on our minds and they're still fas- little child replied. "The first thing they did, It is essential that America know we do tened with most of us. The inferiority of Mama, was to sit me down right beside a not intend to give up the ground we have Black to white has been taught us in all little Black boy" The mother cried out, gained these past years. I'm beginning to aspects of our lives. It's been taught us in "Oh, my poor child I What did you do?" feel a new awareness; I am encouraged. the books we've read, in the movies we've And the little girl replied,"Wewere both so If this trend to delete and take away the seen, in the TV shows we watch, in the scared we just held hands all day long." progress we have made in America per- songs we sing, and even in the foods we The truth is many white youths never sists, I suggest that 30 million Black eat. Because, when cake is black it's Devil could understand nor appreciate the rac- Americans go on general strike across Food and when it's white it'sAngel Food. ist attitude of their parents, and [this] the nation and immobilize the country I It is time we unbrain-wash our brain- began to demonstrate itself in a new white suggest, let us remain home in a national washed minds. With every capability at youth - stirred by the civil rights move- protest against these efforts [should] they our disposal, we must teach our youth ment that awakened the American con- continue - office workers, telephone op- who they are, what they are, and what they science and gave America hope that the erators, domestics, factory workers, can become. We must teach them of their unfulfilled promises of democracy could teachers, taxi drivers, subway operators, history of greatness and achievement, one day be realized. As a result of tile students, professors and preachers. We and we must teach them of their contri- demonstration, the boycotts, and the must be prepared, if necessary, to act butions to the world. We must let them marches, doors did open and opportuni- massively to let America know we have know the great individuals of color who ties came. Let no one tell you the civil been through segregation and discrimi- helped shape the course of literature and http://dh.howard.edu/newdirections/vol10/iss2/3 2 NEW DIRECTIONS JANUARY 1983 Sullivan: Self-Affirmation Is Key to Success

20 history, such as: Aesop, the great Black levels are so low that we cannot compete support those who support us. We must fable writer; Hannibal, the great Cartha- for jobs even when they are available. trust no one - not even our white liberal ginian General; Pushkin, the great Black Functional illiteracy is rampant among our friends. We must appreciate them, but we Russian poet; Dr. [Charles] Drew, the people. can not depend on them because they great Black medical scholar; and Dr. have already double-crossed us too We must raise our competitive skills, , the great Nobel Laureate. many times. and we must improve our educational As never before, we must stress the first C and scientific knowledge. We have the Economically, we must learn to pool our of confidence and teach our youth, from capability to do it, we have the ability to do resources to build and to own something. the time they're able to comprehend, to it. What remains for us is the will to do it. With all our problems, we're not paupers. believe in themselves and to carry that The future requires knowledge and self- We have more than a $150 billion in pur- confidence in every experience of their discipline. This means we must shift our chasing power. We must learn to use it for lives. We must create and support emphasis. In the past, we put our empha- our progress and the progress of Black-oriented publishing institutions that sis on what we [did] from the waist down. America. I know that economic coopera- carry this message abroad. We need We must shift and put our emphasis on the tion is possible; I've seen it work; I know pamphlets and books to tell (he facts waist up. From the waist down, we've be- what it can do. We must use it in economic about ourselves. come the best runners in the world, the divestment campaigns and selected buy- We must begin to use computers and best dancers in the world, the best jump- ing campaigns, as being done by groups develop software to see that the stories ers in the world. All this is good. Now we like Operation PUSH and the NAACP about ourselves and our accom- must put emphasis on the development Let me describe how economic coop- plishments are taken into the living rooms from the waist up and become the best eration among a few people can work, and kitchens of our homes. If others can thinkers in the world, the best craftsmen in and what it can do. A number of years ago tell about themselves, we can too. The the world, the best technicians in the I asked 200 members of my church to Howard University [Press] should be world, and the people with the greatest invest $10 a month for 36 months in a used and supported to help bring this spirit of unity in the world. self-help program to [build] homes for about. We must teach Black people at people to live in and places for people to home and abroad confidence, and our "We have no permanent work. At the end of the first year, these 200 young people confidence. Wemust teach people had accumulated enough money . them to be like one of those two Black political friends. We must to build a million-dollar garden apartment boys who, seeing a jet plane flying over- support those who support complex. At the end of the second year, head, one said: "Oh, I wish Iwas white so I us." there were 600 members putting $10 a could fly that plane like that white boy" But month down for 36 months. At the end of the other one said: "If he'll give me the Finally, I suggest we emphasize the that time, we had accumulated enough throttle, I'll fly it as Black as I am." third C of cooperation. We must learn to money to build Progress Plaza,the largest The second C we must stress for the work together and to cooperate. In my shopping center built by Black people in advancement of our race, is the C for view, the greatest enemy facing Blacks the world. Later, a young Black couple in competence. There's no substitute in to- today is not racism or discrimination but my church went to rent an apartment in an day's world for competence and excel- jealousy and envy among ourselves. all-white apartment house. They came lence. We must stress learning and prep- When we get Black people in America back and told me they were refused be- arations, from the young to the old, for and inthe world cooperating and sharing, cause they were Black. The next week we without this attribute we would not be able the walls of discrimination will come bought the apartment house. to compete equally in tomorrow's world. down. We built factories, human service cen- We all know this is a highly technical age We must learn how to cooperate politi- ters, and we rehabilitated an entire neigh- of computers and robotics-tied together cally in the use of our votes, and to accrue borhood. So, I know what can be done by electronic machines. In this kind of the benefits of our political power. We when our people cooperate. There's a world, without the ability to participate must learn to devise the utilization of our great need for economic cooperation technically our people will economically votes in an individual way, so that no polit- among us. And the development of hun- and socially fall further and further be- ical party in America has our vote in its dreds, and even thous'ands, of economic hind. Already in many of our American back pocket. As Black people, we cannot self-help societies in groups of 50s and cities, one-third of the Black population put our confidence in one political organi- 100s-starting in churches and lodges, in depends on government relief of one form zation or political individuals. We have no neighborhood organizations and on or another. And too often, our educational permanent political friends. We must school campuses.

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Through this kind of initiative - Black of you know, there are efforts underway to they have leaned towards South Africa. 21 people cooperating and investing their try to get some changes in that land. I've We should let the Administration and this money in self-help societies - we can been a part of trying to get some non- Congress know that we want a change in create credit unions, home building and violent changes in that land. I initiated that policy Banks lend money to the South rehabilitation programs, build shopping principles and guidelines for companies Africa government to help support its mili- centers, acquire and develop factories, to comply with. There have been some tary and its police. This is what you should and create stock investment groups with changes. Companies are now deseg- do to a hundred banks: if you have depos- voices in stockholders meetings that help regating their plants; Blacks are being its in those banks, you should take your influence the policies of the businesses of elevated to management and supervisory deposits out and picket those banks until America. With this kind of self-help net- jobs; companies are beginning to pay they change their policies. You should work, we can lay a foundation that within equal pay for equal work; thousands of support, as Black people, a ban on the the next generation can provide us with new scholarships are being provided. For sale of the Krugerrand in America. You economic independence-as we've never the first time, Black unions are being rec- should ask for an end to all new invest- seen before. We must plant the seeds and ognized, and Blacks are beginning to ments by companies in South Africa. help them grow In future years, we must supervise whites in South Africa. You can do things if you wake up out of save, invest and build, so we can have your apathy and begin to help those who something of our own. "This Congress and this are trying to do something. If six million In America, to be strong, you must own Jews' can upset the world for Israel, 30 Administration have not only something. We must begin to build an million Black Americans can help change economic base for our children, because tilted towards South Africa, the foreign policy for Black people in as the song goes, "Mama might have, they have leaned towards South Africa. You have power, but you and Daddy might have, but God bless the South Africa." must learn to use it. You must learn the child that's got his own." These self-help third C of cooperation. societies can become a movement from The [Sullivan] Principles have become What we need in the world among us is every campus. I'm aware many of these a catalyst for change. They are an impor- a Black connection. The French have a efforts will fail because the scope of what tant breakthrough, but it is all still so small French Connection, the Italians have an I'm talking about is broader than anything compared to the need. We need pressure Italian Connection, the Irish have an Irish we've ever attempted before. But many on these companies to do more to help Connection. There's no reason why we efforts will succeed, and in time build dis- change that system. Corporations will should not have a Black Connection with cipline and ownership among us. We will only do as much as they have to. Corpo- every Black man and woman, every boy show results of unbelievable magnitude rations are impersonal; they are [for] profit and girl in America, and in the world, work- as thousands and thousands of talented making; they are not humanitarians. We ing together for the common good: Coop- young Black men and women come out of need help to get some of these com- eration, a Black Connection around the business schools and colleges with ac- panies who are dragging their feet to world, economically, politically and so- counting and business backgrounds. We stand up to their social responsibilities cially It can be done. I calion you to take must find them and use them to help build and be monitored for what they do. these 3 C's with you - the C of confi- this economic base for the future. We Frankly, I would prefer the companies not dence, the C of competence and the C of must learn to cooperate, remembering be there at all. But, since they are, they cooperation. D that ten sticks united are stronger than must be pressured to help change that one stick standing alone. condition. Either they should help change Internationally, we must learn to coop- that situation or they should get out of erate in matters affecting Black people South Africa altogether. You can help. around the world. Let me give you an There are companies that we know are not example of a great need in the world to- doing what they should do. Take that list of day In the Republic of South Africa, there companies, and if you have holdings in are 30 million of our Black brothers and those companies, you should divest your sisters living in bondage under a ruthless stock from them. If they sell commodities and inhumane system called . you eat, you should stop buying their We all decry the system and verbally product. condemn it. Many of us complain but very This Congress and this Administration few [of us] do anything about it. As many have not only tilted towards South Africa, http://dh.howard.edu/newdirections/vol10/iss2/3 4 NEW DIRECTIONS JANUARY 1983