The Covenant with Black America

Right from the days of respectable pacesetters like: Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington, a lot has been written concerning how best Black Americans could advance their own socio-economic welfare. And, I must add that Tavis Smiley did a good job in both his research and preparations before editing this book. It is a well-credited attempt on the part of all the contributors, who participated in the essays that constitute this book. However, there are still a few issues that most modern authors on this topic consistently shy away from. For example, whereas this book did a fantastic job in enumerating and analyzing several problems facing many Black Americans, it fell short in terms of suggesting how best the American government can assist and encourage the self-help efforts of Black Americans. The truth is that the devastating impact of centuries of slavery, plus another hundred years of hardcore racism, lynching, and terrible injustice takes more than a self-help effort to overcome. Any sincere mind would acknowledge that all the manual labors, which translated to contemporary American wealth, power, and success-story, emanated from the ancestors of today's Black Americans. Their sweats, tears, and blood were sacrificed from dawn to dusk, for centuries, with little or no acknowledgement from the very soceity that they lived and died for. Not to mention reward!
But that apart, the efforts of all those who contributed to this fine book remain commendable. Readers of this book will appreciate well-reasoned pieces of advice that abound in it. Every aspect of socio-anthropological progression: including health, education, religion, and psychology were discussed. This book may just be two hundred pages, but its content is a fountain of knowledge and wisdom. It is a very good effort indeed: regardless of its few shortcomings.

Tavis Smiley, the brains behind this fast rising bestseller, brings several popular Afican-American thinkers together. Many of whom are in academia while others work in foundations like the ACLU and Children's Defence Fund. The book is an easy read. Tavis is a master communicator and did well in shaping the overall message and direction of the contributors.

There is much identified in this book that many moderates and consrevatives agree with. no one disagrees that in urban black sittings, black males are more than likely to end up in prison than urban white males. Further, not many would disagree with the assertion that something is wrong with urban schools, particularily those servicing black areas. In addition, many conservatives and libertarians would push further in regards to easying drug laws with notable people (Stossel and Buckley) calling for the decriminalization of drugs.

The differences lie in the solutions, and in this regard, there is very little here that is new and that hasn't been tried. In addition, some statements are asserted as fact without support (odd considering that this book is blitzed with end-notes except on some of the most important assertions).

Some areas in this book I thought extremely interesting. In sections dealing with crime and policing, the book focues on governmental efforts and the perceived un-equal application of criminal justice; however, it dis-regards that many of these policies were implemented to protect urban, poor, black areas. After all, most black crimes are on blacks and law enforcement efforts target those crimes to try and bring saftey to urban black residential areas. I'm not trying to paint a perfect world here, but a little honesty must be revealed. Yes, police departments can better train there officers, but urban families can hold there young men and women accountable, regradless of race.

I found the section on eductaion interesting as well, but not surprising. It is the same old tired solutions, that have been tried in many areas, without much success. More spending is not the answer as studies in certain NE districts have demonstrated. School choice is an option that would benefit all poor and is more in relation to individual freedom. It was nice to see Dr. Gordan mention that "Education starts at home." But this should have been the focus, not the side, because it truly does start at home.

All in all, I found some important points raised, but the solutions pale. There is also an incredible "group think" taking place here as if these problems and solutions are representative of all black culture and lifestyles. I recommend reading such authors as Thomas Sowell, John McWhoter, Larry Elder, and Shelby Steele as well, so that one can have a broader perspective and begin to make real choices on how to solve the problems. Lastly, Cornell West's epilogue lacks any real punch and though I typically disagree with him, I expected at least his usual lively engagement (at which he is very good, his books are engageing).

I think the Covenant is a great plan for getting black people to take action. It is a starting point, and hopefully, individuals will use the facts in the book to make a difference in our community. It really does take a multifaceted plan like the Covenant to get us moving in the right direction.

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Lawrence C. Ross, Jr.

The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities (author)

The Ways of Black Folks: A Year in the Life of a People (author)

Sometimes Rhythm, Sometimes Blues (contributor)

Friends With Benefits (author: September 2005)

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Like climbing a mountain of doubt and confusion with Katrina and this American war, black society needs books like this that help one realize there is hope; but with action.

The facts and statistics offered by "The Covenant" are appalling, and they come at you like a hammer. "One in every three black males can expect to go to prison sometime in their life'... `African-Americans represent 13 % of the population but are 44 % of all incarcerated people'...the list goes on and on. However, this book concentrates on externalities to African-Americans, and it would have been more persuasive if "The Covenant" focused on what blacks can do for themselves. Instead of liberal academics writing the majority of this book, what about a chapter on ethics by Bill Cosby, or a section on job creation by J.C. Watts? Diversity should be shown not only in ethnicity, but also political viewpoints.

"The Covenant" needs some better organization too. If in the future, this book is redone, it should be prepared into three sections such as `The Problem" "What We can Do About It" and "How we can Accomplish it." Instead "The Covenant" reads like 10 poorly written business plans. Sentences like "we must also demand access for all for higher education" sounds great, but what does it mean? "The Covenant" constantly repeats that they must "hold elected leaders accountable for their actions" but after the re-election of Ray Nagin as mayor of New Orleans, one could find this laughable as well.

This is not to say that "The Covenant" does not bring up good points. One of the highlights of this book is the short chapter on our country's failing war against drugs. Illegalizing drugs has essentially done nothing to stem the tide of drugs flowing into this country. Giving mandatory time to a person caught with less then 5 grams of crack cocaine in his/her pocket is embarrassing to not only law enforcement, but to the community. The solution to this problem is long and complex, and the problem cannot be solved by writing that `we must hold elected leaders responsible.'

Overall, if more diversity in political outlook would be added to the book, and less fluff language, it would be much more convincing.

I will not go into detail as to why this is a must read for anyone trying to understand racism, human nature and how and why America is what it is for black Americans.

Firstly, let me congratulate Tavis Smiley on his effort to institutionalize the State of The Black Union gatherings he has held the past 7 years.

This document is a major piece in that puzzle. I think the amount of data in the book is useful for documenting just where we are as African-Americans in 2006. The picture is not a pretty one. Yet in the face of these dire statistics we act as though, there has been some sort of "progress." And the very best we can do about all this; or as the book says in every covenant, Most of All: "Hold all leaders and elected officials responsible and demand that they change current policy." That certainly doesn't seem very empowering or even solid enough to build a covenant around.

Covenant #8 best illustrates the schizophrenic nature of this book. After talking about all the progress made by Blacks in America, more lawyers, more doctors, larger middle class, etc. The only true statistic to measure progress hasn't changed since 1865! And that is the total net worth of African-Americans is 1.2% of the nation. The same as it was in 1865.

Progress? Not in my analysis. Progress would mean that in 2006, we begin any and all analysis with African people as a world people. The economy has become global, the very world global. We as Africans are part of a world whose people inhabit the four corners of the planet and we are talking about "Black Americans." Nowhere in this book is Africa mentioned, no where! That is a most glaring omission.

Covenant #7 talks about Strengthening our Rural Roots. Huh? We have no rural "roots" we are an African people our "roots" are in Africa. The rural south represents branches of that root. But certainly the rural south is not a "root" for African people. Did we just spring up out the ground in the rural south?

Progress would also contain some form of action plan that moves us from present to future. There is no such discussion. There is no attempt in the document to take our churches to task for the gross mis-use of space, time, funds and the people who attend these churches. There are things that could kick off this Sunday in every Black church in America, but if we want to continue to hope someone is responsible, oops I mean hold someone responsible, we will never get to what we can do for self. There really is no action plan to move us from point A to B. Yes there are fine examples of what people are doing in communities across the country, but there is no effort to take these examples and nationalize them, or internationalize them.

What should be clear, is that we are going south, no pun intended, if we continue to view ourselves as cut off from the rest of African people in the world. The willingness to connect with African people in Brazil, Africa, The Caribbean, etc. will open all kinds of opportunities; economic, social, political and educational. These opportunities would no doubt go far in solving some of the issues highlighted in The Black Covenant.

Maybe there will be a follow-up book, and in that one we can be concerned with what it is going to take to achieve real progress, instead of parading around the country trying to get on the NYT best sellers list. I hold out hope for volume two.

The book is actually the exact OPPOSITE of what he claims it to be.

Personal responsibility and hard work are most certainly stressed, but so is holding society and government accountable in ensuring that the needs and concerns of Black Americans of all backgrounds are fully addressed and satisfactorily met. It's not either/or - BOTH are necessary.

It also is not a document calling for "other people's money" to be used to solve non-American problems, or that there are no genuine victims as a result of centuries of biased governmental policies and practices. The problem with this kind of mindset is that it fails to acknowledge the reality that many of our society's problems are beyond the scope of the single individual. While that's certainly a vital, necessary starting point, it is not the only one.

Perhaps Mr. Hamel believes that Black Americans are somehow not "true" Americans, and thus the problems and issues of Black America are not "worthy" of his attention, only his scorn and derision? Not being a mind reader, I couldn't say for certain, but that's the impression I get from his comments. He advocates personal responsibility on the part of the victims of white supremacy, but, conversely, cannot take one iota of personal responsibility himself. That's mighty convenient, isn't it, Leo? Labels aren't really necessary; intelligent people know what his comments represent. Sure, he's entitled to his opinion, but that doesn't mean he isn't wrong.

The book is a clear, concise plan of action for Black America to take charge of its destiny and assert itself. It is long overdue, but very, very welcome. Every single Black American should read it and be not just inspired, but spurred to take action.

This is it...a how to for Black America. Thank you Mr. Smiley. Job well done.

I'm a black educator and Covenant is a book that I must wrestle with. As an educator, I wanted to see what the Covenant had to say about educational issues and I wanted to see how Covenant tries to go about passing on some lessons in black empowerment.

The book appears to be aimed at a becoming conscious black popular audience. Those who like some of the community empowerment themes of Tom Joyner's nationally syndicated radio show or value their churches' willingness to deal with issues of social justice will find themselves at home in this book. By choosing to call this work a Covenant, Tavis wisely taps into the themes of the black church that will help bring this work to the communities it is intended to serve. We have 10 Commandments in our church. We now have 10 Covenants of social justice to contend with if we take this book to heart. I feel that half of the success of this book is that Tavis didn't label this book "A 10-Point Platform for Empowering Black America". Knowing the media outlets at his disposal, he took on the Big Hairy Audacious Goal of elevating his 10 points into Covenants. Judging by the popular reception this book has received, I applaud Tavis' sheer verve in getting his message heard.

As far as the content itself goes, the Covenant chooses to expose people to an immense scope of issues with its 10 points. For those acquainted with the challenges facing Black America, the choices will be all too familiar: Healthcare, Education, Justice, Policing, Affordable Housing, Voting Rights, Economic Prosperity, Environmental Justice (here Katrina takes center stage), and Technology are heavily discussed points. I was challenged by Covenant VII: "Strengthening Our Rural Roots". I do not often think of the problems of rural America as a specifically black America problem. Farmers of all hues are getting squeezed out by global competition and consolidation into huge agricultural consolidations. Covenant VII will challenge me to think about whether the endangered small farmer is a black problem or a class problem. Covenant VII raises a question in my mind that I hope other readers will go beyond the text and consider: Will we be most effective in gaining ground by solidifying our nationhood and focusing this discussion within black media outlets or building alliances with Latino and other impoverished populations who share some of our struggles as rural laborers?

For me, the statistics cited and introductory essays did not move me as much as some of the examples of "what works now". Learning about successful programs such as "Harlem's Childrens Zone" will give me some role models for educational projects of my own.

I feel this book raises a lot of issues but may be hard to boil down to a concise message that will lead to specific improvements on a national scale. In a lot of ways, my feelings on the Covenant mirror my feelings on Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 documentary: it's a powerful work that will force hundreds of thousands of people to change their worldviews for a while. But how long is that while? And what's the issue of focus? When we have as much to do as the Covenant suggests, I'm left to pray that there is superhuman grassroots leadership talent on the local level to translate rhetoric into programs and action.

Thanks Tavis, and I hope leaders arise to build on popular momentum.

3 stars..but it's hard to get these issues right to popular, academic [heavily footnoted], and political outlets in 250 pages

P.S. -- Now that I think about it, a shorter propaganda-like covenant that cuts out the intellectuals and footnotes might have been stronger provided the web community to support it online was strong. And I should be writing more and putting my actions where my rhetoric is...

--SD