# 30 Striver's Row, the Underground Railroad and What the Fuck is Wrong with 21st century Black People

There is a legendary neighborhood in Harlem called Strivers Row. For a large part of the 20th century this neighborhood was populated by Black people that were on the cutting edge. Doctors, lawyers, celebrities, politicians and other luminaries lived there. It was one of the most beautiful all-Black neighborhoods in the country. It still exists, although no longer all Black, but few outside of New York have ever heard of it. I would even bet that if you don't live in Harlem few New Yorkers know it exists (but that's speculation) The name Strivers Row came from the fact that everyone living there was striving to be their best and to make the most out of America. They established a community built classic brownstone homes and went for it. All of Harlem knew that those living on the Row were examples of what we can do when we STRIVE. Although Strivers Row was an exclusive neighborhood many of it's residents were involved in the overall struggle for the social, economic and political freedom of Blacks in the US. Not only did they strive--they gave back and even if they didn't realize it their very presence was an inspiration to Harlem and the rest of Black America.
The Underground Railroad was the network of safe houses and individuals who enabled many slaves to escape from the south to freedom as far north as Canada. Its most famous conductor was Harriet Tubman who transported hundreds of slaves freedomward and never lost any of them. Harriet was narcoleptic, meaning that she would go to sleep at any time. Her dedication was so strong that even that disability didn't stop her. She had a mission and through whatever difficulty she completed that mission over and over again. Many of the freed slaves went on to help the efforts of the Underground Railroad and risked their new found freedom to support the network that got them free.
At the risk of seeming scattered I mentioned the above examples to reinforce one point. Black people have lost something in the last 3 decades. The precious item that is our minds. We have lost our minds since 1968. TBlack people coming together to build and populate an affluent neighborhood from nothing and then support that neighborhood and inspire those around them wouldn't happen today. Blacks as a people coming together to help free one another en masse wouldn't happen either. I'm not saying that we no longer have strivers or freedom fighters because we do. Our strivers and freedom fighters are fragmented in the 21st century and the masses have sold out.
I don't want to make this into a rant or a session of whining but damnmmmmmmmm! When I look at us as a people I get scared for our future. We have either undervalued, given up or forgotten the tools that have helped us historically. The only tactic we remember is marching and singing. I hate to say it but it's true. If faced with real repression, discrimination or government opposition the majority of the black community would just crumble under the pressure and look for the second coming of MLK. What's worse is that we don't even realize that we're in trouble. Most of us just go along and get along. The neighborhoods that used to house our business districts are decimated. Much of our media is either owned by entities outside of our community or simply ineffective. We don't challenge shit unless the government is trying to take away an entitlement program. Think about it, how much press have we generated and how much noise do we make when the government threatens welfare and like programs? You would think that some one came into our homes and punched us in the nose, slapped our mama's and spit on us. Now I'm being facetious but at the same time I'm serious. We watch television, smoke blunts and dream of lottery winnings or reparations while the public education system falters and breaks churning out children that can hardly read and are not prepared to persue much more than unskilled jobs that are disappearing. Our families break down and instead of trying to fix them and ourselves we indulge in debate about "down-low brothas" and whatever the fuck was on Jerry Springer today. We have rich history but we spend our time reading the likes of Zane or watching booty videos. We're tore up from the floor up as a community but we don't reflect, strive or fight as a community. we just find the latest pacifier and suck to our hearts content.
Most of us who are making money or have gotten over the hump want nothing to do with the less fortunate of the community. The black middle class although hanging on by a string doesn't even understand that where the least of us go, we all will go-sooner or later. We aren't a cohesive community anymore. We don't support each other and it hurts us all. I am not going to deny that there are those who are striving and giving back but we are so few, so fragmented and so tired it gets hard to carry on. My compliments go out to all of our strivers and freedom fighters because instead of having to fight the white man they have to fight the community they want to serve. Struggle on strugglers--I'm with you