Home » Travel » African-American Culture » Black Organizations: Too Little, Too Late?

Black Organizations: Too Little, Too Late?

© Aiesha Turman

Ahh...this time of year brings a new school year and along with that a new television season and Kweisi Mfume, head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) once again asserting that there needs to be more black faces on network television. Of course it would be nice if there were more people that look like me on television, but what difference does it make if little Johnny can't read.

The United States is still a society that is separate and unequal. In a day and age where multiculturalism is a buzzword, blacks still don't have social, political or economic parity with their white counterparts. There was a time when organizations like the NAACP, the Urban League and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) really knew what battles to pick and how to serve the best interests of their constituents. What has happened in the last 40-50 years to change this?

Have African American organizations and the middle class blacks that make up a huge portion of their membership rolls forgotten the past? Have they been so blinded by the small stides made by African Americans in the last 5 decades that they cannot truly see what is going on around them? I hope not. What happened to that basic tenet of the Civil Rights Movement that urged people to reach back into the community and help those that are still struggling to make a way for themselves.

There is a need for black organizations and black leaders. Someone has to be out there radically agitating for the complete equality of African Americans. Coalitions need to be formed and people need to mobilize in order to confront and combat the injustices suffered by blacks in this country. Issues need to be dealt with strongly and effectively. This society will be better off with a stronger, more politically and financially active black community.

I grew up with family members that were active participants in the movement to gain civil rights for African Americans. They marched, boycotted, freedom rode and sat-in. When money was needed, they did everything they could to raise funds for the cause. They knew what being restricted and not having access to the best of everything was like. I guess now that we have a bunch of black athletes making millions of dollars, we have really overcome.

I am not trying to indict the NAACP and other black political, social or civic organizations, but African Americans catch hell in this country every single day. They are racially profiled, followed through department stores, have to deal with shoddy schools and racism and discrimination on many levels. Education, job skills and housing are just some of the issues that many African Americans are still facing. How will another black face on a comedy or drama will help solve these problems? It won't.

The copyright of the article Black Organizations: Too Little, Too Late? in African-American Culture is owned by . Permission to republish Black Organizations: Too Little, Too Late? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.