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James Baldwin, the 20th-century intellectual, novelist, and playwright, once observed: “History is the present. We carry our history with us. To think otherwise is criminal.” This is an important point to ponder during Black History Month, as Baldwin was widely known as the voice of the African American experience. Thus we should not only focus on trailblazers of centuries past but also consider more recent history when assessing the state of racial progress.
That’s why the compelling book by historian Elwood David Watson, Ph.D. is recommended reading for Black History Month and every month: Keepin’ It Real: Essays on Race in Contemporary America.
- “It is a disappointing reality that many of the indignities (racial and otherwise), as well as differences in perceptions regarding the history and treatment of Black Americans ominously discussed during the 1960s, still apply today,” writes Watson, a professor of history, African American studies and gender studies at East Tennessee State University.
- “While some segments of the Black population are faring relatively well, far too many other factions are living in a state of crisis that is just as unsettling as the state that their parents and grandparents lived in under the oppressive era of segregation.”
Indeed, the bold vision enunciated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his famous “I have a dream” speech in August 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington has still not been fully realized, as Watson comprehensively demonstrates.
Racial harmony in the 21st century has been elusive, at best.
“The gullible assumption that America had become a post-racial society upon the election of President Obama was a radically misguided illusion,” asserts Watson, who is a widely recognized thought leader, prolific scholar and writer on issues of race. Watson has authored numerous books, academic publications, newspaper articles, and social media commentary focused on bridging the racial divide by fostering increased communication, education and mutual understanding between disparate sides of the white and black populations.
He believes that in order to effectuate racial harmony whites must first fully comprehend and acknowledge the often painful African American experience. This will lead to a mutually beneficial open dialogue to help bridge the racial divide.
“My motivation for writing this book is to revitalize the public conversation around issues of race, despite the pessimism and staunch cynicism of a large segment of the American public.” — Elwood David Watson.
No-Holds-Barred
All audiences can benefit from Watson’s astute analysis and important insights on recent controversial issues involving racial equality and social justice. Watson deftly chronicles racism in contemporary society with a no-holds-barred approach that provides much-needed transparency in today’s overly saturated high-tech Information Age.
His unadulterated writing style may strike some readers as brash. However, he stands firm in the conviction that this type of blunt and bodacious discourse can lead to a meaningful, empathetic national conversation on race that ultimately yields concrete results.
Watson’s viewpoints should be weighed within the full context of an increasingly diverse and multicultural population.
“In a nation where all the demographic data indicates that non-Whites will be the majority by the mid-2040s, it is imperative that we begin to have frank, candid, uncensored conversations about one of America’s most provocative issues — race,” writes Watson.
Beyond One Month
Consider some of what Watson writes in his powerful essay, “Black History Month: Beyond One Month”:
- “Black history is not some entity that should be confined to one specific month of the year. Such an attitude is disrespectful and patronizing.
- ”Rather, the history of Black people (as is the case with the history of other ethnic groups) is one which deserves our full and undivided attention.”
“Black History Month explores and exposes the ample diversity and plethora of talent that has always existed in the Black community.”
- “This diverse exposure dispels the largely held myth by many (particularly White America) that Black America is a one-note monolith.”
“Black History Month provides a crucial and vital forum for facts, statistics, distinguished accomplishments, and triumphs that are far too often obscured and dismissed from the public discussion.” — Prof. Watson
Timely Topics
Keepin’ It Real (University of Chicago Press) runs 200-pages, separated into four distinct parts containing dozens of short essays:
I. The Politics of Whitelash: Addresses contentious events and volatile issues faced by the African American community.
- Dylann Roof/Emanuel AME Church Massacre and the politics of white nationalism.
- The “ugly specter of birtherism” directed at President Obama.
- The “ongoing vile racial politics” directed at Obama and his wife.
- Colin Kaepernick and the “politics of white fragility.”
- “Racial politics” related to the 2016 summer Olympics.
- The rise of “alt-right” spokesmen and groups.
II. Staying Woke! Addresses hot button issues and debates that have “perennially taken place within the Black community” such as:
- Homophobia, misogyny, self-hatred and mental illness.
- The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement (see video below)
- African American leaders being “fair game for criticism.”
- Black history, reparations and other related topics.
III. Physical and Psychological Violence Against Black Bodies: Addresses past and present “physical, psychological, and verbal assaults on blacks and, in some cases, other non-white people too.” Topics include:
- Emmett Till, John Lewis, Sandra Bland and others.
- Economic and political disenfranchisement and rampant police shootings.
- The emotional impact that different forms of violence have had on segments of the African American community.
IV. Soulful Reflections on Entertainment, Icons, and Celebrity Culture: Examines entertainers and events impacting the black experience.
- Bill Cosby, Jemele Hill, Donald Trump, Bill Maher, Aretha Franklin and Rosanne Barr, among others.
- The “derelict antics” of some black athletes and political pundits.
- The “often complex politics of popular culture” on African Americans.
“Deflecting and denying the issue will not save us,” Watson cautions about ignoring racial equality and social justice for the black community. “We as Americans must be willing to embrace one another, look internally and challenge one another to strive for, and embrace, our better angels.”
Professor Watson speaks about the Black Lives Matter movement and answers audience questions.
Scapegoating Obama
In another eye-opening essay, “Conservatives Still Scapegoating Barack Obama”, Watson makes the following points:
- “Right-wing talk radio [and other conservative media] has made blaming President Obama for race relations a cottage industry.”
- “Race relations did not worsen under President Obama…America has always had a tortured racial past.”
- “Does this mean the president is devoid of any responsibility in regards to race? Of course not.”
- “There are a number of people (I am one of them) who have at times felt that the president has not taken an aggressive enough stance on discussing racial issues.”
- “In some cases, we feel that he has erred on the side of caution far too often in an effort to placate, pacify, or, at the very least, neutralize his critics who monitor every comment he makes and were/are ready to pounce on or, in many cases, distort comments he makes.”
- “The cold, hard fact is that race has been, is, and, for the foreseeable future, will be a crucial and ongoing issue for Americans of all political, racial, and cultural backgrounds to deal with, long after President Obama, President Trump, and others have departed from this earth.”
Birtherism Hoax
In another passage, Birtherism = Bullshit, Watson addresses Donald Trump’s malicious smear campaign to discredit Obama based on his national origin and religion.
It’s a proven fact that Obama was neither born in Kenya, nor is he Muslim — as Trump once recklessly asserted to shape public opinion. Watson writes:
- “The birther issue was a highly effective, if not perverse strategy in appealing to America’s most jingoistic voting electorate. It was red meat for the nation’s most racially afflicted voters.”
- “There is a sizable segment of the White American population (as well as some non-White Americans) that could not come to grips with the fact that the nation actually elected a Black man as president, and still cannot even after he has left office.”
“To these men and women, having a Black man as leader of the free world was/is incomprehensible.”
- “For the bigoted, it is an affront to both their racial sensibilities and to the sort of Jim Crow America they love to envision. One that was largely free of deeply entrenched multiculturalism and a semblance of equality.”
- “Trump’s sudden disavowal and closing the chapter of his long-held ‘belief’ did little, if anything, to assuage the more die-hard and adamantly bigoted detractors of the president that Barack Obama was indeed born on American soil.”
Professor Watson speaks about the presidency of John F. Kennedy and civil rights.
Final Thoughts
Readers of good faith need to absorb the full weight of Watson’s message with an open mind and a clear conscience.
His language may appear to some like a cold slap in the face of their perceived reality, as cemented by popular culture and “fake news” in today’s ubiquitous world of information overload via mobile, digital and virtual media.
Readers across the political, social, and cultural spectrum should grant Watson the benefit of the doubt to advance the noble goal of embarking on a mutually beneficial racial dialogue on a national level.
Yes, it’s an ambitious goal, but one worth pursuing for the greater good of healing the country. This means broadly acknowledging past and present racial injustice, discrimination and wrongdoing against blacks and other people of color as a first resort, as Watson writes.
Goodwill and open arms are necessary prerequisites on all sides to effectuate real progress to bridge the gaping racial divide nationwide.
America can ill afford to ignore the critically important issues and timely themes of Keepin’ It Real in order to strive for racial harmony. This is especially relevant at a time of significant demographic changes, in which traditional minority groups will soon comprise the majority going forward.
- “The history of Blacks in America has always been one step forward, two steps backward,” Watson writes.
- “Whatever gains that were secured by law were often overshadowed or mitigated by larger oppressive forces bent on curtailing such progress.”
As Martin Luther King, Jr. stated about race relations:
We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
Watson’s Keepin’ It Real effectively echoes King’s prophetic message.
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Buy Keepin’ It Real from the publisher or wherever books are sold.
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Previously published on Democracy Guardian.
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