Justice Colbert: Black Men An Endangered Species
By Deon Hampton In The Tulsa World ~ Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Tom Colbert said Friday that black males “are living in a dangerous time.”
Speaking during a symposium at Langston University-Tulsa, Colbert said black men are an endangered species and by 2020, 4.5 million black males are expected to be in prison.
Colbert is the first black to serve on the state’s Supreme Court.
Colbert also reeled off figures showing how blacks are negatively affected in society. He said seven out of 10 black babies are born out of wedlock and 50 percent of black high school freshmen won’t graduate.
The symposium: “African American Men at the Corner of Progress and Peril,” drew attention to the problems black males face in America.
“Black men are misguided,” said Art Williams, coordinator of the university’s sociology department and host of the event.
Everything begins with having a proper education, Williams said.
The day-long event included workshops ranging from education, employment and economics, criminal justice, fatherhood, health, hip-hop and the media.
Attendees also viewed the film “What Black Men Think.” Colbert motivated attendees to recognize and overcome the obstacles they face. He told how his high school counselor spoke to his class and advised students to stop by the counselor’s office to discuss college. When Colbert visited the counselor, he was told the advice wasn’t meant for him. Colbert said the counselor told him he couldn’t attend college and should attend trade school.
Colbert also discussed how he grew up in a poor family with his mother caring for five children alone. Though he managed to succeed, Colbert said there are many blacks who continue to have disadvantaged childhoods.
One out of every five black children will go to sleep tonight in poverty, Colbert said.
“These problems are subtle and no one is sounding the alarm,” he said.
He told the audience members they have to believe in themselves to be successful.
Symposium participants said they would take Colbert’s advice to heart. “I learned that you have to persevere and not let anyone bring you down,” said Kevin Joseph, 12, of KIPP Tulsa College Prepatory. “If your life is going bad, it can always turn around,” Joseph said.
“Black men need to come together to become better people,” said Brandon Brown, 12, of KIPP.
It was important to bring students because the workshop can help shape their minds, said Darius Kirk, a teacher with KIPP. “Even though we (black males) have made progress, there still needs to be progression,” he said.
Speaking during a symposium at Langston University-Tulsa, Colbert said black men are an endangered species and by 2020, 4.5 million black males are expected to be in prison.
Colbert is the first black to serve on the state’s Supreme Court.
Colbert also reeled off figures showing how blacks are negatively affected in society. He said seven out of 10 black babies are born out of wedlock and 50 percent of black high school freshmen won’t graduate.
The symposium: “African American Men at the Corner of Progress and Peril,” drew attention to the problems black males face in America.
“Black men are misguided,” said Art Williams, coordinator of the university’s sociology department and host of the event.
Everything begins with having a proper education, Williams said.
The day-long event included workshops ranging from education, employment and economics, criminal justice, fatherhood, health, hip-hop and the media.
Attendees also viewed the film “What Black Men Think.” Colbert motivated attendees to recognize and overcome the obstacles they face. He told how his high school counselor spoke to his class and advised students to stop by the counselor’s office to discuss college. When Colbert visited the counselor, he was told the advice wasn’t meant for him. Colbert said the counselor told him he couldn’t attend college and should attend trade school.
Colbert also discussed how he grew up in a poor family with his mother caring for five children alone. Though he managed to succeed, Colbert said there are many blacks who continue to have disadvantaged childhoods.
One out of every five black children will go to sleep tonight in poverty, Colbert said.
“These problems are subtle and no one is sounding the alarm,” he said.
He told the audience members they have to believe in themselves to be successful.
Symposium participants said they would take Colbert’s advice to heart. “I learned that you have to persevere and not let anyone bring you down,” said Kevin Joseph, 12, of KIPP Tulsa College Prepatory. “If your life is going bad, it can always turn around,” Joseph said.
“Black men need to come together to become better people,” said Brandon Brown, 12, of KIPP.
It was important to bring students because the workshop can help shape their minds, said Darius Kirk, a teacher with KIPP. “Even though we (black males) have made progress, there still needs to be progression,” he said.
Labels: Black Men, Justice Tom Colbert, Social Mores
posted by Mike McCarville @ 9:39 PM
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