the next black leaders?
On postmodern negro I noticed that Gordon Parks died. For many people that name will be unfamiliar. If he is familiar at all it is for the original Shaft or perhaps the The Learning Tree. I really became familiar with Gordon Parks' work at a gathering I attended with my sister at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland (Pittsburgh) a couple of years ago. The gathering was honoring the work of both Parks and Harry Belafonte. It honored both their pioneering works in their respective arts (Parks: film, photography; Belafonte: music, acting) but also the various roles they played in raising social consciousness and providing leadership in the african american community.
Tony Smith mentions on his website that it is hard to overlook the passing of many prominent african americn figures over the past few months, most noticeably Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King. It makes me wonder where the next prominent leadership in the African American community will come from. Is that even a viable question anymore? Much of what I have been reading lately has pointed me to the counterproductive nature of waiting for the next MLK Jr. or even the next Malcolm X. Those men served a purpose in their time and circumstance. The times have changed and new kinds of leaders are required. I'm grateful that their are still people like Cornel West in the world at this moment.
I keep hoping that at some point strong leadership will come fron the african american faith community as it once did. While I know there are community minded servants out there on the streets even now (and I know some of them) what has happened to so many black preachers is that they have succumbed to televangelist mentality and prosperity gospel preaching. I was shocked listening to the daughter of MLK Jr. and Coretta Scott King speaking at her mother's funeral. She sounds as if she has bought into prosperity preaching hook, line, and sinker. I wonder how her father would feel about that. I see people like T.D. Jakes, "Bishop" Eddie Long, and (my personal favorite) Creflo Dollar (can't be his real name, can it?) on tv and want to vomit. Sorry for the strong wording, but I grew up in a church that teaches prosperity gospel and I feel like it entraps people. I do have very strong feelings about it because I see what it does to my family.
I pray for a black leader to come forward and lead the country in issues of justice, peace, and equality, not just prosperity. I pray that person comes from the faith community, but right now, I would settle for someone like Barak Obama taking up that role. You're probably reading this saying "Derrick, maybe that person is you".
To which I would respond, "well, maybe things aren't that bad after all" ...
Tony Smith mentions on his website that it is hard to overlook the passing of many prominent african americn figures over the past few months, most noticeably Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King. It makes me wonder where the next prominent leadership in the African American community will come from. Is that even a viable question anymore? Much of what I have been reading lately has pointed me to the counterproductive nature of waiting for the next MLK Jr. or even the next Malcolm X. Those men served a purpose in their time and circumstance. The times have changed and new kinds of leaders are required. I'm grateful that their are still people like Cornel West in the world at this moment.
I keep hoping that at some point strong leadership will come fron the african american faith community as it once did. While I know there are community minded servants out there on the streets even now (and I know some of them) what has happened to so many black preachers is that they have succumbed to televangelist mentality and prosperity gospel preaching. I was shocked listening to the daughter of MLK Jr. and Coretta Scott King speaking at her mother's funeral. She sounds as if she has bought into prosperity preaching hook, line, and sinker. I wonder how her father would feel about that. I see people like T.D. Jakes, "Bishop" Eddie Long, and (my personal favorite) Creflo Dollar (can't be his real name, can it?) on tv and want to vomit. Sorry for the strong wording, but I grew up in a church that teaches prosperity gospel and I feel like it entraps people. I do have very strong feelings about it because I see what it does to my family.
I pray for a black leader to come forward and lead the country in issues of justice, peace, and equality, not just prosperity. I pray that person comes from the faith community, but right now, I would settle for someone like Barak Obama taking up that role. You're probably reading this saying "Derrick, maybe that person is you".
To which I would respond, "well, maybe things aren't that bad after all" ...
