I'm reading Carter G Woodson's Miseducation of the Negro. I' ve been exposed to a lot of different things recently, mostly on racism in america. Out of that this book came to my mind, as something I've never read, even though it has sat on my parent's bookshelf since I was small.
So far Mr. Woodson makes several great points even though this book was written over 80 years ago, these points are relevant even now to our black race.
One thing he talks about is our miseducation. He discusses black elite, and black scholars, and gives some suggestions as to the direction that we need to take.
One of the things that I appreciate him saying out rightly about the arts
"Negroes graduating from conservatories of music dislike the singing of folk songs. For some reason such misguided persons think that they can improve on the productions of foreign drama or render the music of other people better than they can themselves." p. 140
This has to do with me, and some of the mental anguish I've been experiencing. My reaction is that yes a lot of western european music is accessible to a black musician. It touches me and moves me just the way it does them. Rendering it though....
He also contends that we learn in school and through our education to imitate and do as we are told in order to succeed. However, we may not need to do what was done before, even if it was a worthy thing.
So new thinking, new ways of doing things, also education of ourselves begins to emerge our aim. Who are we as black people. What do we need to develop as a culture? How do we see things, how should we express ourselves. How should we educate the next generation?
These thoughts are still swirling in my head. And I can't wait for clarity of thought.
Peace
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