The Importance of Education in the African American Community: Is Education Really the Great Equalizer?

 When you come from a city like Philadelphia, it is easy to look around and think that Black people do not value education. This may seem like the case, but in reality this is what society wants you to think. The society that we live in today wants you to think that Black people do not get married, they live off of welfare, live toxic unhealthy lifestyles, and keep having babies to collect another check. Though this may be some Black people's reality, does it really speak for the entire Black community? I would argue no, because the more my horizons broaden, the more I see Black excellence and success. Despite this, it still seems like the world around us evolves every day, but our perspective and lenses seem to reflect the lies that has been passed down from generation to generation about Black people. I think that it is time that Black people take a look around them and realize that baby steps are still being made, despite all of the trauma we witness everyday that makes us want to just throw our hands up and give up on life. This is an understandable response, but we must keep the faith my friends.

If you look at the history of Black communities regarding education, it has been shown time and time again that we were not only resilient, but even when the White man tried to keep us down, we always found other ways and venues to show that we will overcome. The civil rights movement was a prime example of Black excellence when it came to education. There were many activists who did not just fight for equal rights, but they also fought for equal opportunity amongst the workplace and education system that suffered from segregation for decades. Even though we know this and embrace our past history that our ancestors faced, why does it seem like Black people who do know the value of education, are still getting the short end of the stick when it comes to making huge strides in society, and most importantly obtaining wealth?

Though I made the argument that Black people need to see life from a different lens and realize that we are making progress. we still cannot turn a blind eye to the realities around us like gentrification, lower pay then our white counterparts, and straight-up racism and discrimination in the workplace. Even though   these are all gruesome issues, we absolutely must touch on the topic of Education. If you think about it, education is the foundation that will almost select our success within this society or our fate. This is why the school to prison pipeline is so prevalent, and why Black children decide to drop out at higher rates than their White counterparts. They are simply tired of going to a school where they are being targeted, criminalized, and told that they will not amount to anything. Knowing this, I would be naive to ever say that Education is the "Great Equalizer" when it comes to Black people unfortunately. It is not, simply because we still live in a whitewashed society, and it has been this way for decades. Even with that in mind, does that mean that Black people should just not get educated because the odds seem to always be against us?

For the question above, I would like to incorporate a quote from the article The Importance of Education in the African American Community written by Paulette Hinds. It states, "The saying is cliche, but it is undeniably true; knowledge is power. This holds true especially in our modern capitalistic society of the United States. In order to get a decent job that pays well, the minimum is a bachelors degree. African Americans have certain fields that we have excelled in such as music, entertainment, and sports but the common African American will not be a professional basketball player or the next superstar". I wanted to incorporate this quote because it has so many powerful messages in one to think about. The truth of the matter is that though the Black community will face a lot of injustices, we must not throw in the towel. We need to first educate our children about role models, and help them to realize that just like we admire our sports players, we must also give that same admiration for our Black lawyers, doctors, educators, and people who have chosen a career path, because not everyone will make it to fame, and that's okay. There is a lot of work that needs to be done in our communities, and we need more Black people becoming educated, so that our children can see that they too can beat the odds despite the issues that may arise just because of the melanin in our skin. In order for us to build up our communities, we must become educated, and then reach out our hand to help someone else along the way. Let's move on by seeing life for what it is, but not allowing it to be the reason we do not progress to make a difference and change in our society. Our ancestors before us lost their lives for a time like this. Always hold your head high and know that you are your ancestors dream. Be sure to make them proud.