Speaking & Teaching

This was QUESTION and this is how I answered it.

Brothers, in your own words, what do our principles mean to you? How do you apply them?

This an interesting question for the brothers of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity and it deserved an answer because I feel that many brothers don't fully comprehend the power that is instilled in the 5 stars that create the founding principles and structure of Iota. We should've created this motto to to promote our fraternity "Through the Stars We Build A Greater Community of Black Brothers" because each one of the Stars can stand alone but the five stars united create a unbeatable force that cannot be challenged by any organization. Each day offers one an opportunity to apply each star whether that star is brotherhood, leadership, citizenship, scholarship or fidelity. You see each star is a lifelong journey of to create the excellence needed for our Black communities to prosper. You simply don't stop seeking scholarship just because you no longer are attending an institution of higher learning. Because learning for yourself and others never ends if we want to truly impact our communities. Fidelity is vital to our community and fraternity's building blocks of growth because if one doesn't has the principle of fidelity refined then you cannot develop the faith that is necessary for brothers to depend on each other. Being a outstanding citizen in your community not only builds the image of Iota for those looking in but it also builds the unity for those in looking out. If you work daily on your abilities to lead not only do you become a better more responsible leader but those around you whether they are in the fraternity or now feed off your leadership energies that will hopefully nurture their own leadership abilities. You lead by example and that example can be replicated. Finally, brotherhood must be practiced daily I may disagree with you on issues but I will never lessen the leash that binds us through the principles desired in the star of brotherhood. These are my words and I hope you can comprehend them as they are intended after being involved in Iota Phi Theta Fraternity for nearly 47 years. I understood the need for the motto “Building a Tradition Not Resting Upon Them” it was. A great slogan for a tee shirt but it doesn't build solid foundations necessary for the growth of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. I say this Building Through The Stars To Impact Our Communities creates the foundation for growth and the ability to fulfill the destiny that the founders and the earliest brothers of Iota Phi Theta desired. Those earlier members wanted future brothers to hold fast to the stars because it is through those stars that the pathway to greatness for Iota Phi Theta Fraternity will be achieved. Not many brothers understand the absolute power of the stars united they only see them on the shield or on a shirt but further, inspection is necessary to gain the knowledge necessary to interact with them. I know brothers who pledged during the time I pledged in the 70’s that couldn't comprehend the power of the stars unified. So it isn't something that just happened losing the focus of stars alignment. We simply didn't do a great job in detailing how this alignment should've been incorporated and implemented. Just like the Black Panther Party lost it direction through infiltration and misdirection. Our fraternity has wandered off course. But we can and must put this train back on course because now more than ever our black communities are in desperate for new and forceful directions.

Yes, the institution of that murderous peculiar savage American slavery ended with the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865. However, if you think that slavery ended you’re completely devoid of any understanding of American History when it relates to the horrific treatment of Americans of African Descent.
Just like the murderous imperialistic policies that left millions of Native Americans murdered because they didn’t make good slaves because they understood that the land they were told to work for free was their lands initially. White Americans had to implement strategies to ensure that nothing would or could stop those in power economically, politically and socially from taking full advantage of peoples of color. Whether these people were black, brown, red, or yellow, whiteness ruled and humanity suffered. Looking back at the history of this nation you find a nation of white Americans seeped in racial murderous hatred. You also find a nation of White Americans in complete denial of responsibility in regards to accepting accountability for the millions upon millions of acts of oppression.
Whether you discuss the whitening righteousness of manifest destiny or the whitening righteousness of white on black brutality. It still is on the same plane of historical deception. Deny, deny, deny, cover up, cover up, cover up and hopefully you will get those whose ancestors were oppressed to forget, forget, forget and finally accept, accept, accept without gaining any atonement or sacrifice from the oppressors. Today’s post on this Tuesday’s Black History Month blog links the wool-lined smallpox infested blankets given to our red brother’s ancestors to the blood filled green courtyards holding the murdered souls of my black ancestors all for the righteousness of whiteness and falsity of a pure nation. America, I ask again who pays?

I truly enjoy pressing my intellectual capabilities to lead to the creation of my provoked black thoughts that are posted on my online Blackman’s blog. I also thoroughly enjoy all the viewers who come to support my work. What I want to see is a black nation of Black readers and writers encouraging other Black folks to expand their intellectual capabilities daily. I firmly believe that ignorance of the facts of oppression has been one of our most powerful barriers to gaining equality and justice in this nation. Our Black communities can only blame themselves for being in that predicament. Because the resources to gaining that knowledge have been at our fingertips for at the least the past 55 years but we have failed to assist the majority of our brothers and sisters to develop the techniques in uncovering those facts. What good is having Black History Months every year if we continue to stagnant and not progress? What good is just continuing to think that our oppressors are truly invested in our Black communities gaining knowledge? When the actual act of knowledge acquisition by the Black communities weakens the policies of white supremacy. So, why am I a supporter of Black History Month because our Black communities need every motivator of black historical knowledge acquisition that is available? I also must force the issue that just because Black History Month is over on Monday. The journey to inform the masses beyond the significant historical names and accomplishments must never wane because of the date of the calendar. If we are to gain true economic and political power in this nation we must understand the 400 years plus history of our black journey in this nation. That my friends aren't a 28 day trip through February every year celebrating Black History Month. You see knowledge acquired must generate community change. So as I end my month-long celebration of the outstanding work that is being done by the Equal Justice Initiative. I ask that we continue to ask the questions of how do we move this nation on a path to correct its past misdeeds done to our Black ancestors. We can only address the issue with a community of comprehending thinkers who are capable of asking the questions that need to be answered. So pick up some books, journals, and media resources that will provide your mind with the intellectual resources necessary to win this battle. Because the path to this victory is written in the books. Take care my friends.

Harriet Tubman was indeed a majestic force of dynamic resistance. Ms. Tubman personally assisted in freeing about 300 of our enslaved ancestors from the chains of bondage. That was a tremendous accomplishment by this diminutive woman of small stature but who held within her self the power to directly confront the forces of American white supremacy. Yet in terms of the number of enslaved Americans of African descent Harriett Tubman versus the number of Americans of African descent those 300 souls were microscopic in real numbers 300 freed over 4,000,000 enslaved. Harriett Tubman needed thousands or more Harriett Tubman’s in order to crush the system of American Slavery. Harriett Tubman got that support in the battle within this nation between the states to decide the fate of those 4,000,000 enslaved Americans of African descent. Over 180,000 Americans of African descent joined the Union forces to eventually crush the rebels of the Confederacy and end the nightmare that was black human bondage. If those 180,000 soldiers had been educated and then educated the 4,000,000 formerly enslaved Americans of African descent about what was due them for the free labor their provided this nation in securing it’s prominence and enormous wealth nationally and internationally. Then, I am sure that our Americans of African descent ancestors would’ve secured the reparations that was due us by the end of the 19th century. However, because our ancestors were blocked from gaining the knowledge that would’ve been necessary to challenge those who would’ve been barriers to our ancestors gaining reparations. It was almost an impossibility for our ancestors to secure economic reparations because all the economic books that contained this nation’s wealth was closed to black faces and black minds. For more than 100 years after the end of the Civil War, the end of American Slavery in 1865 Americans of African descent have faced those closed economic books that detailed the value of the free labor that our ancestors provided to the United States that allowed this nation to accrue unbelievable wealth. The agencies of the federal, state, and municipal governments put in place fiscal policies that limited Americans of African descent from gaining any foothold in building wealth as a community of people in this nation. Now, Americans of African descent face enormous challenge. The challenge is how do we educate the nearly 40,000,000 Americans of African descent to understand that not only is the battle for reparations a just battle, but how do we convince ourselves that the battle is indeed winnable. In order to win we must educate, educate, educate our black communities about the philosophy of how our the free labor our ancestors provided from 1619-1965 made White America great and Black America decrepit and always needy. We got to understand that this battle is a personal battle that will not be encouraged of supported by the majority of White America. This means that the process of educating our black communities will not be done through the current curriculums that are being utilized in the public schools today. Why? Because those curriculums were developed to support and maintain white control and white supremacy policy. So somehow we must find 2021 versions of Harriett Tubman’s who will now free the minds not the bodies of black communities across this country. We gotta find thousands of Tubman clones because one simply will not do. Because changing 300 souls will not move the needle towards reparations that are definitely due us. The research is out there and available now we simply need to consolidate and package it so it can be easily delineated and taught. That’s why we must secure black communities who are universally literate and committed to this common goal. Who wants to be the new Harriett Tubman’s committed to freeing black minds towards fully comprehending what gaining reparations can do to uplifting our communities. A minimum wag of $15.00 an hour won’t do it, nor will a few thousand dollar stimulus checks. Our black communities are owed trillions of dollars and it’s damn time for America to pay up. They ignored our ancestors cries out in the darkness and allowed that darkness to turn to despair. This is my cry for justice. Who will join me. Harriett Tubman was forced into working with small numbers because the white society that powered this nation promoted black ignorance. We have got to force this issue now or else forget it forever.

Brothers we should have a nationwide ZOOM CALL on the day of Founder Coakley’s Home-going to celebrate his memory with a singing of our fraternal hymn.
Who can make this happen?
Maybe Kevin Bennett?
A virtual circle of brotherhood with this pandemic we most certainly cannot attend Frank Coakley’s services but we certainly can honor his life’s accomplishments in building the foundation of our and his fraternity.