“Have you ever wondered why the level of violence is so high among black males? Or why so many black males are failing in school or dropping out altogether? Or why so many black males are incarcerated? It’s because adult black men have failed young black males.”

“We as black men have failed the young brothers in the streets, in the schools, and in the home. We have failed them as fathers, mentors, role models, educators, and community leaders. We have failed to show them what it means to be a man, and what it means to be a black man in America. We have failed to provide a counter balance to the negative influence of mass media stereotypes, the glamour of the gangsta rap videos, the lure of the drug ‘game’, and the allure of the so-called ‘thug life’.

How many black men actually have full-time careers educating, uplifting, and empowering black males? How many black men pursue careers in education, and then teach in inner-city schools? How many black men start fraternal organizations to fellowship with other black males of diverse socio-economic backgrounds? How many black men operate community service organizations to exclusively serve the needs of underserved black male youth and adults? Not many, and definitely not enough.

It’s common knowledge (or should be) that boys follow behind men, and do what they see men do. Therefore, when black men act like they care, young black males will act like they care. When black men start engaging young black males as fathers, mentors, role models, educators, and community leaders, then young black males will start engaging other black males in the same manner.

When black men step up to the plate and do what they are supposed to do, then young black males will naturally follow.”
- Mike Jones, Founder and Executive Director of Black Men Rising
( Props to Black Gives Back )

…but they don’t respect ‘em.

This man speaks the truth!!1

“I had to question why this society continues to be so fixated on making black men the sexual “animals” of this culture. This society has always conceptualized black males in demeaning physical terms – the stud with unlimited sexual prowess, for example – and so much so that many of these young men seem to have internalized a warped sense of their own humanity.”

I read an interesting article this morning by Rhonda Sherrod, an assistant professor of psychology at Alabama A&M University. I was instantly reminded of Hung: A Meditation on the Measure of Black Men in America, a book I’d read a couple of years ago.

It’s a thought-provoking piece in which the author, Scott Poulson-Bryant, talks honestly and tells secrets about the black phallus and its massive impact on America. The title alone is brilliant: ‘hung’ is a double entendre, referring not only to the black man’s penis, but also the fact that, as Poulson-Bryant put it, “once upon a time we were hung from trees for being well hung.”

After reading Hung, I picked up on not-so-subtle attempts to describe black people as nothing more than sex objects. My mom told me about a former female coworker of hers (who happens to be white) and her boyfriend (also white) who told her that the black waitress at a restaurant they were dining in was “beautiful” and then added that “black women were made for sex”. Not only is that disrespectful to an entire race of women, but to mention it in the presence of his girlfriend is even more so.

I’m also reminded of a Rolling Stones song by the name of “Some Girls” that reports “black girls just wanna get fucked all night, I just don’t have that much jam.”

Is this really what the world thinks of black females?

We can’t forget black males.

The Mandingo image being perpetuated in pop culture certainly doesn’t help. Ever been to a Mandingo party?

Back in the day, there was a site, halfhonk.com and I’m not sure if the owner came up with this or not, but I remember it being mentioned that “it’s a one of a kind thing, it’s a halfhonk…and remember girls, he’s black where it counts.”

I refuse to believe that that is all it means to be a black man — having a big, black penis.

I, myself, am a young, virile, black male, but I am not a walking phallic symbol whose only thoughts resonate sexual urges and tendencies and I refuse to be reduced to being a black man solely because of what hangs between my legs.