| Several years ago a good friend told me of an incident | | | | the Hilton. He was greeted by the bellhop of the A. G. |
| in which he asked a wealthy white person, “Who | | | | Gaston Hotel. Yes, the A. G. Gaston Hotel. A. G. |
| will take care take care of the poor whites?” The | | | | Gaston was a Black millionaire. His wealth was |
| man answered,” Wealthy white people will take | | | | created during the Jim Crow era by providing goods |
| care of poor white people.” My friend then asked, | | | | and services to Black Haves and Have Nots who |
| “Who will take care of poor Blacks?” The man | | | | were forced to live in Black-only neighborhoods. Upon |
| said, “God will take care of poor Blacks.” The | | | | his death, he was worth millions. He had created |
| wealthy white man did not even consider that wealthy | | | | hundreds of jobs and provided training and |
| Black people would take care of poor Black people. | | | | employment to thousands of unskilled Black Have |
| Why is that? | | | | Nots. Today, the A.G. Gaston Expo is held annually in |
| Donations to Black colleges, as noted in numerous | | | | Birmingham to foster the economic growth of the |
| recent reports, are almost non-existent among Blacks | | | | Black community with emphasis on wealth creation |
| and Black alumni. For decades corporate and | | | | and capacity building that creates businesses that |
| foundation donations have kept our nation’s | | | | provide jobs in the black community. |
| historically Black colleges off life support. In addition, | | | | Many Black Haves today are more self-centered. |
| huge pools of wealthy Blacks have graduated from | | | | Black Haves are, for the most part, leery of risk. They |
| traditionally white colleges. Without any connections to | | | | play it safe. Malcolm and Martin took the risks. |
| the historically Black colleges, they have little incentive | | | | We must find the talent pool, those who will take risks |
| to donate. [I’d like to think they might have at least | | | | to create businesses in Black communities. Where |
| some tiny incentive] | | | | does this talent pool reside? Is this talent predominately |
| I will rephrase the wealthy white man’s statement | | | | found in corporate America? Do the Blacks who |
| differently. White “Haves” take care of the | | | | arrive at work by 8:00 A.M., the accountants, marketing |
| white “Have Nots.” Black “Haves” take | | | | professionals, lawyers, IT professionals and others, |
| care of Black “Have Nots.” Black Haves do | | | | have the skill-set necessary to create businesses? |
| take care of the Black Have Nots, don’t they? | | | | The “inclusiveness” goals of Corporate America |
| Prior to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, most | | | | are met by hiring Black Haves. But they rarely hire or |
| Blacks, regardless of their background and other | | | | create opportunities for the Black Have Nots. |
| factors such as education, hair texture, or skin tone, | | | | Black leaders of the past would be greatly |
| were required to sit in the back of the bus, denied | | | | disappointed to see the complete stratification that |
| seating in many white restaurants, and prohibited from | | | | exists today. Black Haves, in many instances seem to |
| drinking from any fountain marked “White Only.” | | | | think that: “I got to where I am, here inside the door |
| The small groups of Black Haves were forced to live | | | | of Corporate America on my own accord.” In |
| in the same neighborhoods with the large group of | | | | many instances these folks slam the door shut on |
| Have Nots (“Redlining” was the term commonly | | | | creating opportunities for Black Have Nots to gain |
| used to refer to mortgage discrimination) before the | | | | access in the future. |
| Community Reinvesting Act and Equal Housing Laws. | | | | The trenches during the Civil Rights era were filled with |
| One of the most degrading social practices that Black | | | | both the Black Haves and Black Have Nots. Laws |
| men, regardless of size, age, or financial means, were | | | | against denying opportunities purely based on the color |
| subjected to being commonly referred to as | | | | of one’s skin had not yet been passed. Even more |
| “boy” by many within the white population. | | | | trenches were filled with the “Ready to Die” |
| Job opportunities at companies as General Mills, 3M, | | | | brothers and sisters standing arm-locked when |
| Cargill, Sears, investment firms on Wall Street, or any | | | | legendary Bull Connor (Google if haven’t a clue |
| other large corporation did not exist prior to the civil | | | | who Bull Connor is) unleashed the dogs, opened the |
| rights disturbances during the 1960s. Arthur Fletcher, a | | | | water hoses and denied the Black Have’s the right |
| Black Republican who worked in Richard Nixon’s | | | | to sit at the lunch counter (while reciting “in the |
| administration, had not yet coined “Set Aside | | | | name of God and Good Christians” in Birmingham, |
| Programs or Affirmative Action.” (Google Arthur | | | | Alabama). Malcolm X championed the concept of not |
| Fletcher for more info.) | | | | sitting at the lunch counter, but rather owning the lunch |
| Corporations and local and federal governments had | | | | counter. The late President Kennedy stated, “There |
| not yet introduced Black advocacy jobs such as EEO | | | | is little value in Negro’s obtaining the right to be |
| directors, diversity managers, or minority recruiters and | | | | admitted to hotels and restaurants if he has no cash in |
| purchasing agents. Whitney Young, the great leader of | | | | his pocket and no job.” |
| the Urban League, had not yet brokered the deals to | | | | Black Haves in 2008 are doing a far better job |
| open the doors of corporate jobs for Black | | | | keeping the doors of opportunity closed than any of |
| Americans, or other races. | | | | the doctrines of the past. The Ku Klux Klan, the |
| Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated in his “I have a | | | | bastion of white supremacy that was so strong, |
| dream” speech in Washington, 28 August 1963: | | | | especially in the past, cannot compete with the new |
| “America has issued the Negro a check marked | | | | oppressiveness of gatekeepers who are in positions |
| insufficient funds.” Many of us have not actually | | | | as EEO directors, directors of affirmative action, |
| grasped this essential point. | | | | minority purchasing agents, etc, who are either unable |
| “In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to | | | | or unwilling to provide opportunities for the Black Have |
| cash a check. When the architects of our republic | | | | Nots. Black Haves of today, many of which occupy |
| wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and | | | | jobs in advocacy roles for Black Have Nots, are not |
| the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a | | | | and may never be advocates of entry for Black Have |
| promissory note to which every American was to fall | | | | Nots. Black directors of cities’ EEO departments |
| heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black | | | | more often advocate for the mayor who appointed |
| men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the | | | | them, rather than the citizens of the cities, in particular |
| "unalienable rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of | | | | the Black Have Nots. |
| Happiness." It is obvious today that America has | | | | Black Haves climbed the steps of opportunity not just |
| defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her | | | | by their own accord. They walked on steps built with |
| citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this | | | | stacks of bodies of lynched and slain black men such |
| sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people | | | | as Medgar Evers and Emmett Till. These opportunities |
| a bad check, a check which has come back marked | | | | were created by the late the efforts of the great |
| "insufficient funds.” | | | | lobbyist, W.E. Dubois, Booker T. Washington, James |
| Today, in American cities, we celebrate Dr. Martin | | | | Brown, and countless whites and Blacks who |
| Luther King’s birthday by paying white caterers to | | | | advocated for better treatment and opportunities for |
| provide meals in the best white-owned banquet | | | | Blacks in America. |
| centers and hotels, wearing our best attire and paying | | | | Were these jobs not created by the “Ready to |
| $40 per plate. Few of these dollars go to Black | | | | Die” brothers and sisters who filled the streets of |
| business owners. Dr. King told White America to ante | | | | Minneapolis, Detroit, Los Angles, Cleveland, Birmingham, |
| up economic opportunities for Blacks. That was his | | | | Washington D.C. and other cities all across America |
| mission when he was gunned down in Memphis. He | | | | during the disturbances of the ‘60s? Their legacy |
| was fighting for economic opportunities for garbage | | | | was they showed up, fought for justice, cared, and |
| workers. | | | | took a risk to make a better way. |
| Meanwhile, don’t forget Malcolm X, the street | | | | Malcolm X stated on the afternoon of April 3, 1964, in |
| lobbyist. Malcolm X raised hell in the streets, excited | | | | Cleveland, Ohio: |
| the Have Nots of his era to stand up to be heard, | | | | “The economic philosophy of Black Nationalism |
| seen, and recognized, by any means necessary. | | | | shows our people the importance of setting up these |
| Malcolm X, a grassroots lobbyist, stated in his speech, | | | | little stores and developing them and expanding them |
| “The Ballot or the Bullet,” that for Blacks, being | | | | into larger operations. Woolworth didn’t start out big |
| republican or democrat is unimportant; we have been | | | | like they are today. They started out with a dime store |
| equally oppressed by both parties. | | | | and expanded and expanded and then expanded until |
| Fast forward 40 years, 2008. The 60’s disturbance | | | | today, they’re all over the country and all over the |
| fires are out. Black communities are still controlled by | | | | world, and they get to some of everybody’s |
| the same people who controlled those 40 years ago. | | | | money… -- General Motors [is] the same way. They |
| The Black Haves’ leadership role never took root; | | | | didn’t start out like it is. It started out just a little rat |
| the Black Have Nots remain abandoned. The Black | | | | race type operation. And it expanded and it expanded |
| Haves more often awake to a life in predominately | | | | until today it's where it is right now. And you and I have |
| white neighborhoods, drive to their corporate jobs in | | | | to make a start and the best place to start is right in |
| luxury vehicles and stand around the water coolers | | | | the community where we live. |
| with white co-workers as if the Black Have Nots | | | | “So our people not only have to be reeducated to |
| didn’t exist. | | | | the importance of supporting black business, but the |
| The Black Haves are not without relatives-- mothers, | | | | black man himself has to be made aware of the |
| fathers, cousins, aunts, etc., in the old neighborhood. | | | | importance of going into business. And once you and I |
| These folks are among the 8 out of 10 Blacks who | | | | go into business, we own and operate at least the |
| are unemployed, or underemployed, and living | | | | businesses in our community. What we will be doing is |
| paycheck to paycheck. While the Black Have Nots | | | | developing a situation wherein we will actually be able |
| are trapped in the blazing fire of poverty with no door | | | | to create employment for the people in the community. |
| marked “Exit,” the Black Haves spend their | | | | “ |
| corporate paychecks and maximize their credit cards | | | | Again, I will rephrase the wealthy white man’s |
| in their newly found communities, along with, for many, | | | | original statement. The White Haves take care of the |
| a desire and/or attempt to blend. | | | | White Have Nots. The Black Haves take care of the |
| Many self-employed Blacks and professionals | | | | Black Have Nots. The Black Haves do take care of |
| providing services, such as realtors, see very few of | | | | the Black Have Nots, don’t they? |
| the Black Haves’ dollars – the Black Haves buy | | | | I submit to you: the Black Haves of today must step |
| from white professionals under the illusion they have | | | | up to be the leaders of the small business revolution |
| “arrived.” Arrived? To feel you have arrived by | | | | for the sake of the Black Have Nots. They can create |
| spending your dollars exclusively within white | | | | the economic stimulus package for the communities, in |
| businesses? Black Haves often see the smiling white | | | | which they grew up, in which their relatives reside, the |
| professional as a trusted friend but do not extend the | | | | same communities that they have abandoned, in many |
| same trust to Black professionals. | | | | instances. The Black Have Nots will follow the Black |
| A reporter asked a white voter in a Southern state to | | | | Haves – because they want good jobs and safe |
| explain why he would not vote for Obama. The voter | | | | communities, too. |
| answered, “We take care of our own.” Will | | | | I submit to you: entrepreneurs such as Bob Johnson, |
| Black voters take care of their own? | | | | Magic Johnson, Madame C.J. Walker, Russell Simmons, |
| Pictures of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, that | | | | Reginald Lewis, A.G. Gaston, Earl Graves, and John |
| adorn the walls of many of the homes of the Black | | | | Johnson are but a few of the many talented creators |
| Haves, are the only vestiges of a connection to the | | | | in our communities. They created jobs, opportunities, |
| community in which the Black Haves once lived. | | | | and community revitalization. Their religious affiliation is |
| In the “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech, Malcolm | | | | not the important factor, nor is their fraternity, sorority, |
| X stated, “The community in which you spend your | | | | church, social networking organization, educational |
| money becomes richer and richer; the community out | | | | achievements, or political affiliation. Both Black Haves |
| of which you take your money becomes poorer and | | | | and Have Nots are supporters of presidential |
| poorer.” | | | | candidates Obama and McCain. The order of the day |
| Is this not still happening in 2008? | | | | is to build economically strong communities in order to |
| The Black Haves rush to patronize businesses outside | | | | achieve parity in America. |
| of the very communities in which they were born, rose, | | | | Small business is responsible for 85 percent of all new |
| and their relatives still reside. Those left behind struggle | | | | jobs in America. With the collaborative efforts of Black |
| to find a corner store. | | | | Haves and Black Have Nots, small businesses can |
| Business leader, A. G. Gaston of Birmingham, Alabama, | | | | stand for jobs in our communities that will benefit the |
| was reported to have said that it is far better to say, | | | | interests of both groups. |
| “I is rich,” than to say, “I am poor.” A. G. | | | | The Goal. Our goal. Create 100,000 new Black |
| Gaston was rich. When Dr. Martin Luther King arrived | | | | businesses throughout America by 2010. Be part of it |
| in Birmingham, he was not greeted by the bellhop at | | | | – the economic revolution for parity. Be part of it! |