Over the course of my life I have heard an untold number of orators who delivered memorable and stirring speeches: Ministers of every denomination, male and female, delivered them, Black and White, motivational speakers, politicians, street persons and even con men.
I may be in the minority when I state that Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech is not his greatest speech. I personally have always believed that the speech he delivered the day prior to his assassination, “I have been to the mountain top,” was his greatest. However this week’s column is not about speech making, but rather about the fact the “I have a dream” speech was made 52 years ago. The time is long overdue for us to focus on making the dream a reality instead of waiting for Dr. King’s National Holiday to have programs.
Often I am not sure what I, not just want to write, but what I need to write, and someone or something generally occurs that directs my thought process. Last Sunday I was in attendance at the historic Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church to participate in the service and also to celebrate the 100th birthday of Mrs. Delores Redwood. The guest minister was a person who was grounded in Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church, Rev. Eugene Blackwell, and his sermon was a message that was not only delivered well it was needed, mandated and extremely appropriately titled “The audacity to be strong”.
Rev. Blackwell could not have selected a more deserving church to deliver his message. Grace Memorial Presbyterian epitomizes “the audacity to be strong”. The founder was Henry Hiland Garnet; Pastor Emeritus Rev. Johnnie Monroe; the late Robert Lavelle; Mrs. Delores Redwood and Rev. Ron Peters, theologian in residence.
A couple of weeks ago Pitt released a report that stated emphatically that the plight of Black citizens of Pittsburgh were just as deplorable in 2015 as they were in 1990—25 years ago. It is my belief that it has not changed for the better since 1965—50 years ago. These unacceptable conditions will never change until we have the audacity to be strong.
PennDOT awarded an $800 million contract to a group of persons to build and maintain bridges for the next 20 years. Will you and I receive an opportunity to share? In all probability the answer is no and will continue to be no until we demonstrate we have the audacity to be strong.
The City of Pittsburgh under the leadership of Mayor Bill Peduto wrote the position of MBE Director, formerly held by the late Phil Petite, out of the budget and there were no outcries from communities. These kind of disrespectful actions will continue until we have the audacity to be strong.
There are those who constantly state they would love to express to their bosses some changes that should be made, but their family responsibilities will not permit them. You must understand the importance of living out where there is a will there is a way. Yes, you must focus on have the audacity to be strong.
Everyday there are stories about the negatives that take place in the Black communities, but very limited discussions or focusing on solutions.
I served four years as the director of Allegheny County MBE Department and was provided with a window to see how the taxpayers’ money is spent on everything from toilet paper to stadiums and how Blacks were and are being excluded. It is my fervent conviction that if politicians like the governor, Allegheny County Executive and the mayor of Pittsburgh had the same concern about diversity as they do protecting the unions and contractors who fund their political campaigns there would be a miraculous change in Black communities because fathers could work thereby stabilizing the home. That change will never occur until you and I develop the audacity to be strong.
The time is now, when you look in the mirror are you able to say, “I have the audacity to be strong?”
The year is 2015 and the Kingsley Association needs your financial support.
(Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a weekly contributor to the Forum page.)
