| With pesky gang problems continuing to mushroom not | | | | example, books, ideas for schools of learning, medical |
| only in major cities across the country, but seeping into | | | | techniques and other sources for healing, their attitudes |
| small towns and communities also, what's the solution? | | | | change. |
| Law enforcement? Education? Gang Prevention | | | | Gang members have put down their guns, stop hating |
| Programs? | | | | one another and took control of their lives in productive |
| Many of these attempts has at best helped to stifle | | | | ways by knowing their history. The most hard core |
| gang growth and at worse fueled or covered up the | | | | gang members have wept like babies when they |
| cause, similar to placing a band-aid over a gunshot | | | | discover what their ancestors accomplished, went |
| wound. But a growing number of African American | | | | through and suffered so they could live. |
| activist, educators and even politicians are looking to | | | | A major push is on to include more Black history in |
| Black history as another solution. Many African | | | | public schools to foster more tolerance and |
| American educators including Dr. Ashwa Kwasi, | | | | understanding. Despite a more tolerant White America |
| lectures extensively to young African Americans on | | | | when it comes to racial issues, most White youth |
| their history. Dr. Kwasi has also lectured in prisons | | | | consider African Americans biggest contribution to |
| across America to young gang members. | | | | America as sports and entertainment. The average |
| "It's harder for a blue rag wearing gang member to | | | | American including most Blacks have no idea the |
| shoot a red rag wearing gang member when they | | | | contributions Blacks have made to America. From |
| know their sacred history," says the Dr. Kwasi, who | | | | George Washington Carver, Charles Drew and |
| host tours each year to Africa and ancient Egypt. | | | | Booker T. Washington alone you could count hundreds |
| Unfortunately, most African American young people | | | | of products used world-wide today. |
| consider their history as beginning with slavery and | | | | Many people don't know other inventions we use daily |
| ending with the Martin Luther King" I Have A Dream" | | | | without thinking came from the mind of Black men. For |
| speech. Still most schools ignore most of the | | | | example, the stop light,(Garret Morgan) the refrigerator |
| contributions African Americans have contributed to | | | | (John Standard), the lawn mower (John Burr) and a |
| this country beyond Martin Luther King and Rosa | | | | host of others. With the gang problem spreading like a |
| Parks. | | | | fungus in damp weather, no solution should go without |
| When gang members discover Greeks and Romans | | | | notice. Every answer should have a voice - and Black |
| traveled to Timbuktu to obtain not only physical | | | | history is that voice. |
| treasures, but mental intellectual treasures. For | | | | |