Two Americas

The Washington Post kicked off a year-long series on Black males with this story in Sunday's edition. The hook of the story is the double consciousness of today's African-American man: he is more optimistic about his chances in America while at the same time disappointed with the unwillingness or inability of his brothers to take advantage of the increased opportunities. This is a well-written piece, but it's really only news to someone who isn't familiar with Black America.

Race rarely enters the public discourse in any fully-formed way. When we do talk about race it is often to show the depravity of drug-infested inner-city culture or to tout the exceptional Black man, a latter-day credit to his race. And probably well-spoken, too. Rarely do we grapple with both sides of the coin. America is in such denial over its persistent race problem that stories like the one in the Post are greeted as a fresh take on the subject when in fact they simply are providing the subtlety that should be brought to bear on an increasingly complicated topic.

The lesson in this for policymakers and politicians is to give us the whole picture of race in America. Yes, it is possible for African-Americans to achieve more now than at virtually any period in the country's history. But those same strivers face the daily specter of humiliation at the hands of the state and a constant struggle against a good ol' boy network that is more interested in perpetuating its existence than finding someone who's capable of getting the job done. That's the reality for African-American men. It's one worth remembering the next time race enters the political discussion.