Education: The Key for the Training of Black Men For Living
In the chapter “Of the Training of Black Men” W.E.B. Dubois identifies what he calls the problem of the training of black men for life. He contends that having access to education is the key to accomplishing this. Since the times of Dubois essay, The Soul of Black Folk, the landscape of education has changed, but is that enough? Beyond the need for education, we need to consider the position in which black men are placed in society or rather how black men are viewed by others. Dubois also talked about walking within “The Veil and “Double Consciousness”, where black men are destined to walk. How do black men and women view themselves is also important. Has the opportunity for education…show more content… We talk about education leveling the playing field, but just as in Dubois time, there are still racial and economic obstacles. When I talk about racism, I’m not talking about individual people, but rather the institution of racism where the people in power hold all of the cards. When a black man ventures out into this world, he is not seen not as just a man but as a black man. And as a black man he constantly has to prove himself. Dubois stated in his essay “That the present social separation and acute race-sensitiveness must eventually yield to the influences of culture, as the South grows civilized.” In 2014, a high school in Georgia held its first integrated prom. I found this unbelievable that in this day and time, such a thing still exists. Also, I have heard people say that the most segregated hour of the week is on Sunday morning, where seldom do we see integrated churches. When we do see integration, it is usually black people attending white churches. A black man’s training never stops. In the wake of the recent police shootings where young unarmed black men have been killed, there is a push to train black men and women on what to do if stopped by a police officer. In this case, it matters little that you are college educated; you are seen as simply a black man. Dubois labels this as human training. When I’m leaving my home, my mother always says to me “be careful, remember that you are a young black man. Why can’t I just be a young man? Because when someone looks at me, that is the first thing they will see and some will prejudge me based on