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Why Learn Afrocentric History? |
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A Tradition represents that which has emerged, endured, and stood the test of time. It lends the weight of age to its group embraced folkways (non-moral customs) and mores (moral customs) and thereby carries the same power as the force of law. African Sage established traditions, by being based upon a sound philosophy of life, worked well because the philosophy was "lived" in a Ma'at manner by honorable Ancient Africans. The impact of African American slavery shattered this mentally healthy philosophy. In its place evil Europeans misinterpreted the truth in evil ways so as to brainwash into slaves those evil messages for purposes of generating Delusions (believing in the unreal and not believing in the real). Contents of the false messages included such absurdities as how bad, inferior, and subhuman the slaves were and how their African ancestors produced no world contributions. The deluded slaves and ex-slaves then formed self-defeating new traditions out of such evil messages as: "don't read"; "don't get an education"; "don't try to better yourself"; "don't be ambitious"; "don't trust each other or work together to fashion Black Power"; "don't be uppity" (i.e. do not be like a White manâ€"and morally that is good advice!!); "stay in your place"â€"meaning Black people should "be about nothing"; "fight among yourselves"; and "spend your money foolishly."
To prove that these self-defeating messages were culturally transmitted, look around the Black community and notice the effects they have had in forming and perpetuating dysfunctional mental states of consciousness (such as "Zombie"-like "spells"). Also note how they generate innumerable vicious cycles of never ending problems for Black people. Fortunately, a large number of Black Americans are awaking out of their "spells"--and removing the delusions of who they are--and rising above the needless struggles of life by reading and learning more and more about their own brilliant Black history. Researching Ancient African history is particularly powerful in shattering the chains on enslaved minds because when you know the true scope, height, and depth of your ancestors' achievements then you will believe you can do the same. When you know what your ancestors went through to develop themselves to do great things, then you will know what it takes and how much it takes to do the same today. You see yourself as being your ancestors by realizing you carry the same ancestral genetic material and approaches to thinking that fashioned them into kings, queens, surgeons, artist, mathematicians, engineers, and others who designed a brilliant culture for today's world.
Ancient principles and hard work requirements have not changed but there are additional problems to overcome. First, break the "spell" by activating thinking skills. Think about every little thing you do every day instead of doing "it" out of habit and because "that is the way we have always done it" (which is not so because self-defeating things were not part of African Tradition). Second, start reading anythingâ€"and particularly Black historyâ€"so as to shed mental boundaries. Third, switch from a "not willing to do" over to an "I will do what ought to be done to reach my potential and make my life a masterpiece". Fourth, reading Black history will clearly show you what you are up against. The evil Europeans who caused Black Americans' problem have not changed in what they think, feel, say, and do. The problems the slaves and ex-slaves had are the same as those problems of today's Black Americans, but in less overt forms. Fifth, develop right offensive and defensive approaches for achieving success.
Joseph A. Bailey, II, M.D.
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