Is It The Responsibility Of Our Youth To Carry On The Legacy Of Black History?

I would like to begin this "Know Thyself Community Wednesday" conversation by reading a portion of one of the featured books in the Know Thyself Book Club, entitled; "From The Browder File" by Anthony T. Browder.

"Black History Month is always a good time to develop greater appreciation for the African contributions to world culture and civilization. It offers an excellent opportunity to relish and glorify the accomplishments of our ancestors, but time should definitely be set aside to make a careful assessment of the status of our youth. After all, Black History Month is specifically designed to provide positive information for black children.

My personal observations, along with published research articles, have disclosed a serious deficiency in our young and their assessment of their history.

Personally, I think the problem is one of complacency. Many parents and adults are not fulfilling the obligations of their heritage by seeing to it that our history is preserved and passed on to the next generation.

The disciplinary problems that currently exist within our school systems are not the fault of the teachers, but the parents. I remember, as a grade school student, a student wouldn't dare talk back to the teacher, let alone get out of line. Today, this type of student is the exception, not the rule.

A child's behavior reflects his or her upbringing in the home, in the schools, or in the streets. The fact that so many of our youth disrespect authority figures indicates that they disrespect themselves. Self-respect is a trait which must be initiated and reinforced at home."

I invite you to get involved in our conversation on air and online…and I can't stress it enough, "Right Knowledge, Corrects Wrong Behavior"! Know Thyself!

Hotep Family

Chris Reynolds