The conservative financial practices of older African-Americans are what helped my generation reach the middle class. They did without many of the trappings that you find in even the poorest of black households today. Back then, folks were more concerned about providing a better way of life and an education for their children.
So writes Tannette Johnson-Elie in “Talking about hard work of past would do black youth a favor.” This is what youth need to hear.
Given the dismal graduation rates of African-American students, particularly black males, in the state’s public schools, it’s evident young people could benefit from the examples of hard work and sacrifice set by the generations before them.
You don’t find too many refreshing articles like this out there. Instead of training young blacks to professionally gripe about some perceived racial slight, we need to teach them the value of hard work and pride in one’s work, no matter what kind it is. Quaint concepts, I know.
This is what Black History Month should be about instead of the same old recycled, revisionist stories about the Civil Rights movement.
