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March 5-11, 1989 MICHIGAN CITIZEN 5
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OPINION
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The Black Church-'
'Ins itutio alizing ,African-
Black H' tory Month 1989 in
no over, but beyond the hlgh­
lightting of our history which
marks this season, African­
American's must find a way to
make the teaching and celebra­
tion of our history a permanent
part of our lives.
The most logical p ce for
this to occur is within the
strongest and most stable in­
stitution we have 'within the' mutual aid societies, which
African-American Community, provided for" decent burial at
the Black Church. . death, and a modest survivors
Historically the Black church benefit were the forerunners of
was born out of the vacuum the modern African-American
created by racism. On a momen- insurance co panies and
tous Sunday morniDg in 1787 at banks. .
St. Georges Methodist Church' �Iaclc c�urches also or-
in Philadelphia an �frican g!Dae� Afr,can-�r�e Schools
preacher named Richard Allen to provide educa n for Black
and several other Bra wor- children.
shippers were prevented fCODl B ck political conventions
kneeling at the alter prayer re often hosted by the Bla.a
by white members of the con- c��rch, and �ost of the. sag­
gregation. The African- nificant Afr�can-�n:tencan
Americans stormed out in leaders were either ministers, or
protest. Out of this act of. persons. deeply rooted in the
defiance was born the African- Black church. The Black church
Methodist Episcopal Church, was th,: cent�a� ins�it�tion in
,oganized by Richard Allen and Black life, mimstermg to the
Absolom Jones. It was the total needs of the peo.p�e. .
beginning of the Black Church In the current ensis which
in America· confronts the masses of
The eariy� Blac church was I African-Americans today, it o�­
the Iocalpoint, the center ,pf lif .1. curs to me that we neeed, 0 look
for the "Cree Black coatnlunity. t. reb to. re:as­
The first charitable societies, s�m� Its role as a central �tltu­
the African Free Societies and non 10 the life of the' African­
Mutual Aid Societies were 'born American community.
in the Black Church. The Beyond denominationlism
or the narrow propogatIon of
the faith, the Black church can
become a crucial vehicle for the
survival, development, and sal­
vation of the race. Since the 60's
the emergence of Black libera­
tion Theology has pointed the
Black church in that. direction,
and ever increasing numbers of
African-American pastors and
their congregations are reach-
ing out beyond the confines of
the church walls to minister to
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rnerlean His ory
the poor and oppressed.
Given the devastating impact
of s1a\WY, cultural aggression,
and ongoing individual and iq­
stitutional racism, the African­
American community needs to
undergo a kind of healing to
eradicate the damage that has
been done to Africans in
America.In that sense, the
teaching and internalization of
vice, similiar to the weekly
P.U.s.H. services organized by
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in
Chicago. Here young people
and the Black community at
large could receive inspiration
and information through.
African-American music, song,
rap. dance, drama and dynamic
speakers.
Community people could
also rccievc their marching or­
African history and culture is-
therapeutic. One of the best A second component of the
places to administer this Saturday- School day could in­
therapy is in and through the elude a kind of community ser­
B ck church. I ders arould vital issues facing
The concept of the African the community.
Free School needs to be Spiritual/religious education
modified and reinstituted as a would of course be in integral
part of the missionary work of' part of the service also.
the modern Black church.
Church doors ought to be open 1 IT each. Saturday from say
on Saturdays, and the facilities 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.rn: hundreds
made available for "Saturday of Black churches in American
School" programs. A typical were engaged in this kind of
Saturday School day might start African Free School program,
with a well organized. tutorial the Black church would be sys­
program for African-American tematicaUy equipping hundreds
students at all levels with college of thousands of African­
students, and retired teachers Americans to survive, build, and
lbeing recruited to teach and develop the race.
tutor aspiring yound minds. This is a charge which we
African-American history and \ should put to the Black church,
culture should be integrated in and pray that this great institu­
to all aspects of the teaching and tion, will accept the challenge.
tutoring.
Black·on·-Bla.c/( violence
By Robert N. T yior
Last year . saw r e cocd
homicide rates in cities
throughout tile nation:
However, the too often un­
spoken fact behind the figures" is
that disproportionately what
America is actually witnessing is
an almost uncontrollable rise in
Black-on- Black violence.
Virtually every city or urban
area that in 1988 expericnced a
major or record ,ju mp in
homicides saw most of the kill­
ings take place in predominant­
ly Bla-k, low-income areas.
More specifically, what we
watched in 1988 (and 1989 has
started pretty' much the say way)
was young Black men killing one
another wild-West style.
In fact, one federal govern­
ment agency reported recently
that Black-on-Black homicides
had reached such a level that
one of every ten Black men in
America will be involved in a
homicide at some point in his
life - either a the person. kill­
ing or as the person being killed.
In discussing this issue
recently with a friend, I left con­
vinced that he had hit upon a
common \ sense point when he
said, "Disagreements that used
to be settled with a left-hoo or
maybe a knife arc now being set­
tied with a gun. W
The key point is that there ex­
ists in low-income
predominately Black urban
America altitudes toward life
and modes of behavior which
arc both group and scll-dcstruc
tive. These attitudes flow direct-
1y from the pathology of pover­
ty, lack of hope about the future.
.,
and the lack of everyday, posi­
tive role models for-our youth 0
emulate.
These problems can only be
solved if the social conditions
which bring them about are
eliminated.
Thus, the solutions are
simple:
- The massi e influx of
government and private invest­
ment in low income urban areas.
Such investment must be
designed to create Black busi­
ness ownership and employ­
ment opportunities.
Such investment will allow'
urban youth to actually believe
that there are ways of generat­
ing wealth in America other
than by selling drugs and engag­
ing in the destructive behavior
required by the drug culture.
- Responsible Blacks, most
of whom have moved out of the
inner-city leaving a major
leadership vaccum, must be­
come directly involved in trans­
forming the inner city.
One of the sad consequences
of integration has been leader­
ship and r ole model void
created in the inner city.
W.E.B. DuBoi was right.
Among every social or ethnic'
group there is a "talented tenth"
that will provid direction and
leadership. adly, the Black
talented tenth is increasingly
being is lated from the Blac
underclass, leaving a situation in
low income urban are th t .
h pelessly self-destructive an d
violent.
Hopele snes ana lack of
positive directi n reed
_ frustr arion and fr ustr lion
breeds violence.
Ma ive government fund.
and strong Black leader hip arc
the only ways out of thi m s. I