A Black Thanksgiving

Millions of Black American families observed Thanksgiving this week. We have much to be thankful and grateful for.

Yet we should also be cognizant of the challenges and struggles that lie ahead in the pathway to future economic empowerment and social sustainability not only in America, but throughout a changing world. In other words, this is a time for reflection, self-assessment, self-improvement, and collective development and progress.

I know that there are some cynics even among us who prefer to see the plight of Black Americans only from a pathological or from a continuously negative critique. It is true that unemployment in our communities, in particular for our youth, remains devastatingly high. Prisons and jails across the nation continue to overflow disproportionately with Black American inmates and defendants. Abject poverty continues to have an alarmingly mortal grip on too many of our families and communities. Improving the systematic quality education of our children remains one of the highest priorities. Constructive criticism does have its place and value. But isolated and even well-intentioned criticism concerning the ongoing struggle to eliminate racism, injustice and inequality without a concomitant plan of action to advance the cause of freedom, justice and equality is just a nonproductive waste of time and energy.

A Black Thanksgiving this year and every year should be focused on taking the time as family, friends, colleagues, and simply as “brothers and sisters” to adequately assess and plan for further advancement of the interests, intelligence, and institutions of the Black American community. This is also a time for the elders of the freedom movement to share wisdom with our young emerging activists and leaders in spirit of acknowledging that every inch of progress that has been accomplished over the past 400 years has come as a consequence of struggle and sacrifice…

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