The aforementioned examples of Black Excellence had to be displayed in order to reiterate that a counterproductive spirit is nowhere to be found in the DNA of African/Melanoid people. The semblances of “laziness” and lack of motivation which has infiltrated Black Society in recent generations has been attributed to external factors–namely the system of racism/white supremacy. When a person’s ability to provide for themselves and their families is stripped away from them systematically, you can be sure to witness a person who’s in danger of falling prey to a broken spirit, which gives way to the previously mentioned “laziness”.

Because we have often acknowledged this to be a problem in Black Society, many of us feel a sense of obligation to the dominant society to prove that we’re not “failures” by overcompensating in all areas of human activity. At the workplace for example, we may want to prove that we are just as worthy as our non-Black colleagues by putting in more hours and labor than anyone else at our jobs. We also might go out of our way to be the most polite in our social circle(s) of non-Blacks, just to show that “we come in peace”, and that we mean no harm.

Maybe the best term to capture such an overambitious spirit in Melanoid people would be none other than “John Henryism”, which was a term coined by a Black educator named Sherman James. In a nutshell, “John Henryism” describes Black people’s tendency to overwork ourselves in order to “fit in”, only to remain in a second-class state in comparison to the members of the dominant society. “John Henryism” is such a debilitating approach to navigating through society that it spawns various physical ailments such as hypertension and high blood pressure.

As you may or may not know, the coined phrase “John Henryism” is an ode to the American folk hero by the name of John Henry, a Black man whose relentless work ethic led to his eventual demise at the hands of a steam powered machine, which is a great analogy for our situation in a white supremacist society.

Check out the video below to hear Gus T. Renegade’s profound take on the dangers of “John Henryism”.

The condition recognized in academia as “John Henryism” is such a serious phenomenon that it is killing us–literally. While much honor lies in our strong work ethic, perhaps a more healthy alternative to falling prey to “John Henryism” would be to re-direct the same energy/work ethics into creating our own alternatives (i.e., economic base, neighborhoods, education) to a society which has been designed to exclude us in the first place.

B. Clark

Because of the recent inundation of the term ‘white supremacy’ and those who live by it, it is only fitting that the good Brothers and Sisters in Black Society (who might be unclear) be informed on ways that your co-worker, neighbor, and even your significant other could possibly be a white supremacist.

1. Do people in the dominant society seem exceptionally thrilled by seeing Black people in subservient positions?

Have you ever witnessed Black people working in job sectors such as retail or the hospitality industry who have developed an almost family-like connection with the white customers and patrons who frequent the places where these Black people work? Those white customers very well could have privately celebrated the deaths of innocent Black people’s murders at the hands of police, but get all warm and tingly inside around gentlemen such as “Mr. Willie”, who makes their shopping experiences just a little more pleasant. On that note, I wonder if they’d feel the same way about “Mr. Willie” if he was the Founder & CEO of  a retail giant such as Walmart?

2. Are members of the dominant society overly nostalgic?

Listen to people–particularly the older members of the dominant society–and you’ll hear much talk of how “things were much better back in the old days” of this country. This type of talk is brought up consistently among these people, and considering our role as oppressed people in this country over the past several hundred years, we have to ask ourselves exactly WHAT do these old folks mean by the “good old days”?

3. Are your white associates uneasy around serious-minded Black men?

Are you labeled as being “surly” or “aloof” by your white colleagues in various settings when you’re the only Black man in your immediate vicinity? Black men (much like the first example) are often accepted by members of the dominant society as long as they say and do things that reinforce the preconceived stereotypes that they’ve been slapped with by white supremacists. People in the dominant society have long feared the concept of the “angry Black man” and the uncompromising masculinity that this image exudes, so they want to make sure that the Brothers remain in a happy-go-lucky state. This example rings true whenever you’re approached by members of the dominant society with questions such as “What’s wrong? Why are you so angry?”

4. Do your white friends go above and beyond to remind you of how “exceptional” you are?

This instance often involves many younger Melanoid people, especially as they advance through college and into the working world. Have you been repeatedly told about how much of a great person you are? The implications of their excessive praise reeks of a contrived effort to refrain to let you know that you’re not like the combative Blacks they saw on those reality television shows.

5. Have you encountered that member of the dominant society who regularly indulges in race baiting? 

If you are familiar with any member of the dominant society who reminds you of the white female schoolteacher on Everybody Hates Chris, then you’re quite familiar with who a race baiter might be. This person has a fixation with using race as the topic for seemingly every topic that’s brought up. These individuals often happen to bring up race as a means of provoking emotion from their Black co-workers, business partners, students, and buddies.

6. Non-Blacks who openly express their exclusive sexual cravings for Blacks

This is a taboo issue in itself, because it combines the hot-button topic of race along with the risque topic of human sexuality. When a member outside of Black Society specifically proclaims their sexual desires for Melanoid men and women, this should pose as cause for concern, given the fact that “slumming” has been historically practiced by white supremacists since the days of slave owners stealing their slaves’ wives from them. So, the next time someone from the dominant society rants and raves about the sexual prowess of Black people and how they want you because of it, ask yourself this: Are they genuinely in love with your Blackness and the experience that comes with it, or are they just “in love with the cocoa” just to get their fix?

7. Do non-Blacks use spirituality to entice you to take down your guard?

Perhaps the most deceptive item on this list, white religious figures–especially those in the dominant Christian faith here in the States–have resorted to spirituality and religion countless times to convincing Melanated people that “God sees no color”, “We’re all going to the same heaven in the afterlife”, and that because of sin, millions of innocent Africans were enslaved and robbed of their culture. Watch out for these types. because buying into their rhetoric could have you confused and disappointed once they transform from Joel Osteen to this “Godly” couple, as seen in this video.

8. Do the whites apply the “Two is company, three’s a crowd” principle when dealing with Blacks?

You and your crew are peacefully conversing and minding your own business, when someone of the dominant society takes liberties to invite themselves into your group’s dialogue. Such an act may follow with the standard (yet still tactless) “What are you folks up to?” or “I just wanted to see why I wasn’t invited to this party we have over here!” Of course, this wouldn’t be an act of racism/white supremacy, would it? The suspected white supremacist in question may feel that they’re being harmless in their gesture to get “acquainted” with the group of Black folks across the street who are minding their business, but so did the authors of Louisiana’s Code Noir of 1724 (Article VIII). After all, they’re just “making sure you folks don’t cause any trouble.”

As African people in this society, our interactions with people of the dominant society is inevitable. The 8 ways listed above aim to serve as a thought-provoking heads-up on disrespectful behavior from white supremacists, and those who are suspected white supremacists.

by B. Clark