“FIRE IS UPON US.”

This was the message the late civil rights play write James Baldwin pose to America. America is currently revisiting the times of the past: racial injustices committed by law enforcement; courts doing the bidding of politicians and not the public; gerrymandering, diluting voting districts where Blacks do not have a voice in the political process, and Maryland, Democratic legislators passing ‘sore loser’ laws that bar candidates from running as write-in candidates after losing a primary election denying voters a say in the political process. Much like what Southern states are doing to suppress the vote.

The Former President of the United States has made it easy for Democrats to talk about the deficiencies of the GOP. Democrats have many deficiencies at offering opportunities to Black men. Despite Wes Moore being the most likely candidate to win the gubernatorial election this November, he will not remediate the over incarceration of Black men. That will continue to come from the public defenders, community advocates, and judges who work tirelessly to produce fair and just sentencing. But if they do not feel that the system represents them and has explicitly discriminated against them, how can they ever have faith in it?

Democratic politicians feel that Black men do not vote. It is the Black male who is being left behind in terms of education & job opportunities. Why should they vote when they are being intentional left out of the political game. When a white political candidate is running for political office, in most instances, they will have a Black female as a running mate: “Diversity Illusion Not Inclusion.”

Take a peek inside the class rooms of higher education colleges, law schools, MBA & medical school programs. Mostly dominated by Black women. As the saying goes when it comes to advanced degrees: Black men are rare birds.

Black men must be part of the camera lens, Auto Focus must be part of the view finder, where they are portrayed in the zoom lens with an enhanced megapexal. They must be part of the political process and given educational and job opportunities. This cannot be achieved unless there is a sincere and honest effort for inclusion and diversity in a comprehensive program. This is something that corporations and politicians are ignoring.

By Thomas P. Johnson, III-ProfilesInColor

Voting Is Democracy

A government that prevent others from voting is a government that lack leadership and ignores Democracy.

Covid-19, A Moment in Time

A moment in time, Pandemic crises, across the globe, 2020. This is an opportunity to reflect.

My Easter Sunday church service  was a run through the woods.  A friend gave me a passage reading from her Baha’s faith.  I stopped, read it and reflected for a moment.  Yes, I was attending church!

This church service provided me with the spring beauty of wild flowers, glistening stream calmly flowing with the sun light providing a steel gray reflection; a male Wood Duck rode its current, as to say, this is God’s generosity.   A harmonious choir of spring song birds resonated through the air: Cardinals, Chickadees, Kingfisher and Titmouse.

On my return run to my abode, I notice a wildflower, in full bloom, dressed in lavender. It was to say, another gift from God, the Gospel!  This Easter Sunday, I realized that God provided me with this moment in time, yes, I am grateful! Gifts surrounds us all, can be found in a global pandemic, all we have to do is take a moment in time to take notice.

By Thomas P. Johnson, III, Profilesincolor.wordpress.com

Colorful Facts Omitted From American Colleges & High School History.

Recently, I completed the Autobiography of James Walden Johnson, “Along This Way.” I posit that these facts be taught in every high school in America.

I must confess that I did not know about James Walden Johnson: writer of music for Broadway minstrels, the song “Life Ever Voice”, wrote a history chronicling 30 years of lynching in the U.S. 1889-1918, he and his brother, Rosamond Johnson, wrote over two hundred songs, literature, and poetry. He was an attache to Nicaragua and Venezuela; a member of the National Interracial Conference of Kyoto, Japan in 1929; Head of the NAACP, and Chair of Creative Literature at Fisk University.

Educators are cheating their students by omitting these colorful facts.

by Thomas P. Johnson, III-CEO, Profile In Colors.

 

 

Moments of Meditation

I invite all to get away from the hustle and bustle each day.  Each day a moment should be set aside to stroll in a park or sit on the shores of a lake, pond or ocean.  It will do wonders for the mind.   Stop, look, listen and close your eyes for a few moments on this meditation journey.  The quiet time will do wonders for the mind.  Make this part of your daily routine in life.  Moments of meditation is a must for academics and daily life.  A must lifestyle that should be incorporated in daily routine of life.  The physical and mental health benefits are enormous.

By Thomas P. Johnson, III CEO, Profiles In Color.

Facts omitted about African-American owners and trainers in the Kentucky Derby must be incorporated into the horse race that follows. Preakness!

Each year the Kentucky Derby is run on the “First Saturday in May.”  Saturday, May 4, 2019 Scott Simon, NPR radio host interviewed Los Angeles Times reporter Kurtis Lee.

The radio discussion was about black jockeys that rode and won the Kentucky Derby. Throughout the interview there was no mention of the fact that African-American trainers and owners won the Kentucky Derby.

In 1891 Derby Mr. Dudley Allen an African-American won the Kentucky with a horse by the name of “Kingman;” In 1895 Mr. Byron McClelland won the Kentucky Derby with a horse by the name of “Halma.”

Seven African-American trainers won the Kentucky Derby.  In 1875 Mr. Ansel Williamson won the Derby with “Aristides;” 1876 Mr. James Williams won with “Vagrant;” 1877 Mr. Edward Brown won with “Baden-Baden;” 1883 Mr. Raleigh Colston won with “Leonatus;” 1884 Mr. William Bird won with “Buchnan;” 1885 Mr. Alex Perry won with “Joe Cotton;” and, Mr. Dudley Allen won with “Kingman.”  Mr. Allen won the Derby as owner and trainer.

As a member of the “Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association” for ten years and studying bloodlines and pedigrees internationally and nationally for more than 30 years I feel it was necessary too opine on the subject.  Imbedded in this discipline are historical facts. These salient facts must not be left out of American history.

 

Pictured above is Edward Dudley Brown, trainer of Baden-Baden (1877)

Source:  “Black Winning Jockeys in the Kentucky Derby” by James Robert Saunders and Monica Renae Saunders

By Thomas P. Johnson, III CEO, Profiles In Color

Denied To Be Creative In The Classroom

Reading an article about Leonardo Da Vinci’s creativitive genius, I was struck by the fact he was self-taught.  Da Vinci was never denied a platform for his creativity.  When people of color are denied opportunities to be creative with hidden obstacles of discrimination in the classroom have we denied their creative genius?

By Thomas P. Johnson, III-CEO Profilesincolor

Change! President Obama’s Mantra.

The New Year started off with the federal government shutdown!  A review of the mental state of our Nation, America’s way of thinking has never been open minded despite ‘Abolitionist’ movement and the ‘Civil War.’

African-Americans have fought for America during the American revolution; Civil War; WWI; WWII; Korean conflict; Vietnam; Iraq I & II; Afghanistan and Iran.  After the Civil War, America’s people of color supposedly won their freedom.  They did not win equality in the military until President Truman integrated the military in the 1940s.

Some would argue that this was “Change.” African-Americans were co-equals with their white counter part.  A review of the historical archives show that this was not the case:  In 1944 the Navy Department “announced that it would accept black officer candidates…sixteen African-American men started training preparing for the examination…the period for training was supposed to last for 16 weeks.  The Navy shortened the period to 8 weeks” (1).

The candidates believed it was the Navy intention to set them up to fail.  At bedtime  the candidates closed their window sheds to keep Navy personnel from knowing that they studied into the night getting little sleep.  Out of the 16 candidates who prepared for the exam 13 succeeded.  Their grades were “two tenths points higher than the white candidates. The Navy was convinced that there had been a mistake, the candidates were required to retake the examination.  This time “their grades were even higher; 12 candidates were commission and one became a warrant officer” (1).

Change! It is 2019. A Florida high school student took the SAT entrance examination for college.  Her first attempt at the exam she scored a 1200.  A meager test score and limited her college opportunities.  Like most high school students in America she wanted to better her chances of getting accepted into college.  After self evaluation she prepared and retook the exam. Her test score was 1500.

It has been surmised by the examiners (SAT testers) that she cheated. Her test scores were withheld: “due to circumstances we feel there is unexplained reasons for your test scores and they are being withheld.” The student has the right to release the highest score to any college she/he is applying. It is not the examiner’s decision.  The lowest score is voided.  The test can be taken seven times and only the highest score is recorded on the college application.

Change!  America has had a bi-racial president (White Mother; African Father) born in America.  The optics have changed but the mind has not.  Change will only come when American people change their way of thinking to accept the fact that any race or gender can be successful at any task.  The test scores of the African-American female high school student should not be questioned.  They should be admired.

By, Thomas Paul Johnson, III-CEO, Profiles In Color

(1).  James, Rawn. The Double V: How Wars, Protest, and Harry Truman Desegregated America’s Military, 2013.

 

 

The Nutcracker Has Cracked.

We started attending the ballet one Christmas season when my son turned five. My wife and I decided to take him to see D.C.’s version of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker at the “Warner Theatre.”  As the years progressed my wife and I witnessed a sea-of-change for the better with diversity representation.

The dancers reflected the social fabric of America African-American, Asian & Hispanic.  Each role choreographed for the female and male ballet dancer displayed dedication and passion.  Our son who is a college freshman remarked:  “When I was younger all of the dancers were white. I’m eighteen and have been coming to the ballet since I was five and diversity representation is reflected throughout the ballet.”

The Nutcracker must continue to crack by making sure the audience attendees reflect the diversity of the ballet.  Dancing is not limited to race or sex. To have an appreciation for the arts we must have an inclusive attitude about our audience.  Marketing!

By Thomas P. Johnson, III-CEO, Profiles-In-Color

A Christmas Gift To Remember.

A way to take stress out of Christmas shopping.  Had my third visit to Washington, D.C.’s ‘African American’ museum.  Each visit is a gift that keeps on giving.  Fredrick Douglas:  “Right is of no sex-truth is of no color.”  Books given as Christmas gifts replicate Douglas’ phrase.  Book giving creates a curiosity where ‘race and sex’ is not an issue.

By Thomas P. Johnson, III CEO, Profiles In Color