Throughout the centuries we have defined and redefined the names to call someone with a dark skin color. Even today, I can see the stress of the speaker when he or she needs to make a reference to a group of “Blacks” or “African Americans.” In the past, controversy happened when someone in a public position called someone Negro, but I have also heard people complaining because they were called African American. We have the same issue with the Hispanic or Latino or Mexican American or Chicano or Spanish Speaker or Mexican or Afro-Hispanic. Who are we? The name is just a name, but does that matter? The name shows the exterior but who are we deep inside? Who do we connect with?Alain Locke’s essay, The New Negro, is fascinating because it not only describes the Black community from the exterior point of view, but most importantly from the interior point of view. He looks deep inside and presents a different perspective of what this community really is and what it’s capable of doing. “By shedding the old chrysalis of the Negro problem we are achieving something like a spiritual emancipation.” (985) Self-worth and self-determination are the keys to this new class of black citizens. The New Negro was written in 1925 but after close to 85 years, are today’s African Americans a good representation of this new Negro class? Or do we still have some of the old Negro still alive in the 21st century? Has society provided the right tools to allow the old Negro to become the new Negro?
“The thinking Negro even has been induced to share this same general attitude, to focus his attention on controversial issues, to see himself in the distorted perspective of a social problem.” (Alain Locke, 985)
Slavery has ended, but we still see the poverty, the lack of opportunity, the low quality education and health care offered to the minority populations. Is the black community free? Legally they are, but mentally not all are. Austin’s black population has been dropping every year. In 2006, the City of Austin’s Council decided to research the reasons for this reduction. The name of the initiative was: The African American Quality of Life, Addressing Community Needs Together. Areas such as arts, housing, health care, education, employment and economic opportunity were some of the topics at these community forums. The results demonstrated that African Americans have a lower standard of living compared to the other citizens in Austin. “The African American community informed City leaders that they were experiencing a different standard of living than other Austinites. After listening the concerns, the City Demographer conducted a study that confirmed African Americans trailed other ethnic groups in many socioeconomic areas.”
Locke must have thought while writing his essay that by now the black community would be competing on an equal level playing field, that the black community would be enjoying wealth, knowledge, political power, etc. And although we now have our first African American president we still have a long way to go to create that equality in some of the most important areas as it is referenced within the City of Austin’s African American Quality of Life Initiative.
So who is to blame that Locke’s new Negro is not a universal concept? I believe that it’s a combination of the community, the government, and society. “The thinking Negro even has been induced to share this same general attitude, to focus his attention on controversial issues, to see himself in the distorted perspective of a social problem.” (985) The government has been very slow to support the advancement of the black community: the social services are provided in a setting that promotes poverty, the education level at areas where the majority of the population are minorities are not compatible with areas of affluent neighborhoods, the urban communities lack side walks, clean streets, reliable Internet services, etc. The society has decided to support light agendas with apparent support to the black community, but which don’t really make a difference in their lives, services such as the “soup kitchen” at the corner of San Marcos and Cesar Chavez, which provides a needed service to feed the poor but no education classes, no job opportunities, and no housing. But I think most detrimental is the lack of mental readiness of some members of this community, the lack of ambition, dream, and support among its own people.
“Recall how suddenly the Negro spirits revealed themselves; suppressed for generations under the stereotypes of Wesleyan hymn harmony, secretive, half-ashamed, until the courage of being natural brought them out – and behold, there was folk music. Similarly the mind of the Negro seems suddenly to have slipped from under the tyranny of social intimidation and to be shaking off the psychology of imitation and implied inferiority.” (985)
In 2008, my company landed a new client, a non-profit organization located in the East side of Austin. “The organization in an incubator of artistic expression representing the African Diaspora and is dedicated to the production of transformational and accessible works for the enrichment of the community.” During the summer of 2008 the organization created a festival showcasing black artists in the areas of dance and performance. Several organizations were called to assist in promoting the one-of-a-kind event in Austin. Organizations such as KAZI, Nokoa, and Huston Tillotson University among others were asked to help. HTU was one of the few that did not support the promotional efforts. Does this action promote the new Negro agenda?
Locke’s idea of the future new Negro environment was probably like Harlem in New York back in the earlier part of the 20th century. The community was diverse, creative, and supported by its members. Perhaps he thought of many communities across America with the same characteristics: “In Harlem, Negro life is seizing upon its first chances for group expression and self determination.” East 11th and 12th street areas of Austin were that kind of niche in the 1960’s. The jazz and blues scene was booming with great musicians playing frequently at the Victory Grill and other places alike. “From the late 1920s to the late 1960s, Austin’s East 11th and 12th Streets boasted a Chitlin Circuit scene showcasing local blues and jazz talent as well as touring acts like in the 1920s such as the great Satchmo Louis Armstrong to R&B artists in the 1950s like Ike & Tina Turner and the 60s the greatest of B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland.” But now East 11th and 12th have become a different kind of community with new buildings taking over the historic structures and property taxes rising forcing the African American community move out due to the gentrification process.
Two years ago a group of community leaders organized the only Black festival in Austin called the Urban Festival. The festival brings musicians and singers from the national and local scene. The organization was spotless, the publicity was abundant, and the cost was very affordable ($15.00 per ticket). The event is an all day festival for the entire family. Last year I went to the Urban Festival with great anticipation and excitement, the occasion was a high class event, but the community did not support the activity. Very few people went.
I think that the new Negro is still sheltered in the old Negro. I believe that many of today’s African Americans are still living in slavery, but a slavery that is deeper than the chains, because is in their hearts and conscious. “Lacking self-understanding, we have been almost as much of a problem to ourselves as we still are to others.” (985) Success, education, and opportunities have not reached the majority of the black population. Only a few, “the talented tenth,” enjoys wealth, arts, and economic status and only a few have the chance to live well and enjoy a satisfactory career. But that few should take charge and leadership to change the norm and assist others to do well by providing the health services that are necessary to live well, a high class education to lower drop out rates, and business opportunities so more businesses are created.
The African American community continues to challenge itself in creating opportunities to others, but they can not do it alone; first the people who need the most help need to have a winning attitude, the government needs to do a better job providing the services that the community needs, and the society needs to learn that when you reference a black or African American you are actually making a reference to a person and, therefore, the label is not necessary.
Works Cited
"African American Quality of Life." Apr 2008. City of Austin. 2 Apr 2009. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/aaql/downloads/AAQL_final_report_2008.pdf
"About ProArts." ProArts Collective. Apr 2008. ProArts Collective. 3 Apr 2009. http://www.proartsaustin.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid=53
"The Historic Victory Grill." 3 Apr 2009. http://www.historicvictorygrill.org/history.htm
Locke, Alain “The New Negro.” The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Eds. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Nellie Y. McKay. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2004. 983-93.
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