Still Invisible?. Elvin J. Dowling
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Название: Still Invisible?
Автор: Elvin J. Dowling
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Изобразительное искусство, фотография
isbn: 9781922309815
isbn:
Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century and continuing even today, the constant degradation of Black men in the eyes of the general populace has been a matter of economic survival and social stratification that has helped to perpetuate white supremacist ideology ever since. In fact, many of the more popular tropes that have been tactically deployed to torpedo the ambitions of Black men, have included labeling them as lazy oafs, brutish beasts, ignorant children and dangerous criminals who must be kept at arm’s length and controlled at all costs. In fact, one of the most universal suppositions attributed to people of color, not just Black men, is the notion that "they all look alike." Popularized in the song "All Coons Look Alike to Me: A Darkey Misunderstanding" written, composed and performed nearly 125 years ago by America's first Black Broadway star, Earnest Hogan, the idea that the African-American community is just one big, homogenous group, indistinguishable one from the other, is a malignant metaphor that continues to last the test of time. Whether used by even the most well-meaning law enforcement officers who habitually stop and frisk innocent pedestrians under the guise that they "fit the description" of a sought-after suspect, or utilized as the punchline to an off-color joke, there is no denying the fact, even by me, that African-Americans, in general and Black men, in particular, are clearly subjected to debilitating depictions that can weigh down even the strongest amongst us.
Born Earnest Reuben Crowdus and raised in the rolling hills of Bowling Green, Kentucky, Earnest Hogan began his show business career as a traveling minstrel singer, who would ultimately reach the heights of fame and fortune on the backs of his own community as he enamored white audiences with his catchy tunes that became a musical phenomenon known as the "coon song craze" of the 1890's. Later on, in life, Hogan regretted having contributed to the degradation of Black culture, but not before it made him exorbitantly rich by most standards. I mention this because, just like Hogan, there are showbiz entertainers willing to make a heap of cash "steppin' and fetchin'" for the Almighty Dollar (but I digress). Eventually, Hogan died at the age of forty-four years old in 1909, with today's equivalent of $715,000 in the bank; most of which earned from his aforementioned doozy of a ragtime tune. Speaking of which, "All Coons Look Alike to Me", is a song of unrequited love for a woman who dumped her beau for another man who, (and I'm not making this up), looked just like him! (Isn't that hysterical)?
"All coons look alike to me. I’ve got another beau, you see/And he’s just as good to me/As you, nig! ever tried to be/He spends his money free/I know we can’t agree/So, I don’t like you no how/All coons look alike to me" ("All Coons").
And while those characterizations may be patently unfair, for the rest of America, it’s a price we are willing to let Black men pay if that's what it takes to keep them on the periphery of society. Moreover, in our never-ending quest to maintain control of all aspects of life in this country, many of the hapless souls who have had the burden of being born Black in this country, don't even realize that, regardless of what they do, they may never quite "fit in" with mainstream America. Yet they keep trying... and that's alright by me for, if nothing else, it helps to build character. And that's worth something...right?
Today, while it is important to note the work that lies ahead in building a more just nation for all of our citizens, everything isn't all doom and gloom, if I do say so myself. From mass media, to politics, to pop culture, African-American men have staked out a corner of the market that is truly all their own. Moreover, with the proliferation of "gangster trap" music (see what I did there?), there's no place to go but up when it comes to the public perception of African-American men, and we can all celebrate that... Can't we?
Always Hopeful,
Lady Justice
Joseph C. Phillips: Please, Don't Fence Me In!
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
"I'm an actor, author and entrepreneur. I owned a restaurant, wrote a book, and had a weekly opinion column for many years. In addition to all of that, I've done television, film, theater, commercials and all other aspects of acting," says the Denver, Colorado native who went on to graduate from New York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting in 1983, before finding his way to the "City of Flowers and Sunshine," Los Angeles, California. Ever since his introduction onto the television landscape as Lieutenant Martin Kendall of the U.S. Navy, and husband to Denise Huxtable, played by Lisa Bonet, on the NBC hit television program, The Cosby Show, Joseph C. Phillips' image and voice have been a constant fixture on the national stage for more than thirty years. The father of three sons, Phillips understands the importance of standing up for what you believe, while being mindful of the fact that, as a Black man in America, both he and his sons are subject to the same issues of racism and marginalization, regardless of what side of the political spectrum Black men fall on.
"I had, I've always thought, an interesting upbringing. As I get older, however, I realize it probably isn't that interesting. My mother was a teacher, my father was a pediatrician and I was able to grow up in what was a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. Then my parents initiated divorce proceedings when I was in about the sixth grade, and were finally divorced when I started high school. And I left the life that I had come to know, living with my mother, and ultimately moved in with my father. In the winter of that year, my mother committed suicide when I was fifteen years old and my father remarried, but that didn't really work out for him," Philips noted when reminiscing on his early years. The only male child, Joseph's childhood was spent split between two homes, one with a father whose time with Phillips was limited to weekend visitations, and a politically active mother and three strong-willed sisters who helped teach him how to stand firm in his convictions. "I remember accompanying my mother to her state Democratic Conventions and, I didn't really know what she did, but I know my sisters and I had a lot of fun, running around the convention halls, collecting buttons and stickers and all of that. Believe it or not, I remember attending the Democratic convention when Jimmy Carter was nominated and ultimately elected as President of the United States," Phillips recalls, noting the tough economic times that ensued with the Carter Administration. "My mother was involved in the NAACP and, being outspoken and politically active, influenced me greatly and encouraged me to share my opinion," he recalled, ever mindful of the strong voices his sisters were encouraged to share both at home and in the world. "As a result, I have very particular ideas about the world, Black people's place in this world, that a lot of times run counter to Black conventional wisdom," Phillips conceded. "As with Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem, "We Wear The Mask," as a conservative, there is an assumption about who I am and what I believe and people are wrong all of the time," Joseph Phillips notes as he recalls instances in which he has been challenged for his views om issues. “There are times where people have taken exception with me over things that I have never said and things I don't believe. I think that there's a huge assumption others make about me because I step outside of the traditional view of what it means to be a Black man in America,” he noted.
An outspoken spokesman for conservative political principles, Phillips is an atypical figure within the African-American diaspora who represents an important voice on what most Blacks would consider the opposite side of the political aisle. His presence within the conservative movement helps to shatter the preconceived notion that the African-American diaspora is a homogenous society, all of whom possess the same political persuasions. "I have been actively involved in politics, although not as deeply as a lot of people might think," Philips demurs before describing his impressive resume of bona fides, which include having been named to the Republican National Committee's African-American Advisory Board and having received an appointment СКАЧАТЬ