Response to a letter to the editor: Explication not concession

The following is not the product of haste, pride, or preservation of my character. It is an explication upon what I believe to be true.

It is my earnest belief that history affects the lives we lead into our tomorrows. As is true of many Americans, my history is strongly rooted in that of my family. My mother’s maiden name is Horne, a name inherited from her father, and his father before him. Marvin Sr. spent much of his life as a cook working out of rural Virginia, he too was given his name by his father. Freedom finally recognized five generations back the fathers of my mother had their name bestowed upon them by a master. Here, my history is lost.

Conspirators for freedom at sit-ins and in picket lines ending with hoses or jail cells; these were my great aunts at our age. My grandfather enlisted in the army, worked, ran and fought for his college degrees in business and physics. In fashion with the American times he earned his way up in the military and later as a civilian working with Kodak and NASA. He became well placed by effort.

His children would be chided and teased for their placement in an overly prosperous neighborhood. Stereotypes run rampant as blacks are judged by blacks to be over-literate, outsiders- -white. I was born into this history some twenty years ago. It has been my culture since. Ever since I have wondered why a preference of Billie Holiday or Miles Davis over more contemporary artists faults me in the “black” community.

Growth has brought me to realize that ‘black’ as many are acquainted with it is not an all-encompassing reality. The individuals of black communities nationwide comprise too copious an entity to be so ignorantly categorized. History within and outside the Black community has yielded to mis-conceptualized generalizations breeding stereotypes and people to perpetuate them.

Particularly now I believe Black Americans are faced with a decision forced by affirmed growth. There is a thin line between pride and the perpetuation of stereotypes, which many members of this rightfully proud community continue to straddle.

For people who believe Alfred University is a “white” mind-space and that “blacks” must then excavate out a niche, I say you are wrong. Respect and propriety transcend all colors. Likewise, no individual pigment claims creativity or pride; inspired individuals earn these.

While history is paramount in the formation of an identity, for unity and pride when prosperity is hampered by yesterday’s categorizations, we must realize that history cannot be allowed to take precedent over our futures.

Therefore, I will not step below myself for the sake of my reputation amongst a people who concede to the perpetuation of ignorant stereotypes. So long as we guide today by our yesterdays, tomorrow will be no different.

I am proud to be a young black man. More so, I am proud to be an individual recognized as more than the premise of a youthful black man.

Being somewhat of a writer, I realize that words as intangible things are constantly being received, reinterpreted and expounded upon. I plan to avoid these complications by employing actions with footsteps to echo the voice of my grandfather. “Back straight, stand tall, pick up your head,” he’d say. “Speak loud and be proud of who you are.”