INFLUENCE: What it means to be a Black Educated Male in 2022

Ibram X. Kendi

Books do not have their impact upon the mass mind but upon the minds of those who mould the mass mind­­­ — upon leaders of thought and formulators of public opinion. The impact of a book may last six months or several decades. Books are the most enduring propaganda of all~ Office of War Information official

IBRAM X. KENDI is a #1 New York Times and National Book Award-winning author. He is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University, and the founding director of the BU Center for Antiracist Research. And while we admire his research and candid perspectives on antiracist rhetoric; the embodiment of his research and communication abilities explains why college is the greatest equalizer for black men.

Dr. Kendi is using his body of work (Books) as propaganda and is having an impact upon the minds of those who mould the mass mind. When you visit Amazon.com and parade through the bestselling books in his Genre you will see that his work is splattered throughout the ranks. I consider myself to be an individual who will in time mould the mass mind. It was through his books and research that I was able to ascertain the body of knowledge I can present to the world.

The same goes for you as well. I am sure your aspirations may not involve becoming a New York Times Best Seller or even a published author, but it’s your “Influence on the world that will make all the difference. I am speaking of influence in terms of a black man that motivates other young black men and women to become intellectual influencers. An intellectual influencer in this case harps on influencing the culture to see education as a viable option for our rise to the top.

Although, Education alone will never serve as the panacea for social equality; it does however give hope to black fathers, students, college athletes, and first-generation college students in Higher-Education who may someday face Homelessness, Financial instability, and Housing insecurities.

Overcoming the Odds

It is estimated that 65% of all jobs will require post-secondary education. For many black men, this is a major dilemma, given the length of time, energy, and effort it takes to receive a bachelor’s degree in today’s overpriced educational experience. The rules have definitely changed overtime to compensate for the rise in “Black intellectualism”. The debate rages on about equitable fairness amongst social classes; not to mention the Capitalistic mainframe that exudes for Higher Education.

Higher Education is big business. And without communal support, the black intellectual’s creative potential gets put on the shelf and housed in the basement of America’s penal system. It’s not an accident that black men have some of the lowest college graduation rates in America. The systemic roadblocks and disparaging acts of violence on the black mind have caused major delays in the black intellectuals’ rise. When you compare the good that is coming from the black intelligencia as opposed to our numbers as a people they are minuscule in stature.

It’s like a kid picking up a basketball at the age of 5 and doing nothing but playing basketball; all at the chance of getting drafted in the first round of the NBA or NFL. The odds of any High-School or College standout getting their name called on draft day is like 1 in a million. That window of opportunity is minuscule compared to a lifetime of educating one’s mind.

The odds have been stacked against the black man since his arrival. That’s why the mad scramble for education has become the great equalizer. Its why propaganda has become a major force in the ownership of the mass mind. Kudos to the 15th century Gutenberg press invention that enabled the mass production of books, newspapers, and pamphlets. Six centuries later and many black intellectuals still have no voice.

Dismantling Structures

As a black man in Higher Education, you represent a much larger presence than the degree and job that lurks in the balance at the end of your 4–6 year stay if you make it that long. Part of your role as a student in the ranks of Higher Education is to lay the groundwork for becoming a Black Intellectual. Higher Education then becomes the breeding ground for ridding your life of those internal beliefs placed on you by teachers who never believed in your capacity as a thinker and leader of men.

As a black man, you must be in a learning environment where you are supported by mentors, administrators, peers, teachers, professionals, professors, creatives, and given the opportunity to openly share your feelings, angst, and worries about daily life in the ranks of Higher Education. For high-achieving black men, more success and educational attainment actually equal more bouts of depression and anxiety.

Many times, the payoff from all of your hard work will not manifest into any significant monetary gains until you reach your 30s or 40s. That is what you call the hidden rule of Higher Education. The notion that you can graduate with a bachelor’s and master’s and somehow land on your feet right out the gate is a false pretense. Education is nothing more than a means of community development. You are learning how to read the blueprint, lay the foundation, and build your dream home.

Finding A Mentor

Lived experiences are the great equalizer when it comes to maximizing your time, talent, and energy in the ranks of Higher Education. I can’t tell you how many times through my many years of struggling in the ranks of Higher Education that I wished a mentor was available. I am speaking of an individual who has failed in the game of Higher Education. A voice that can speak to my daily pain and offer experiences incommensurate with my daily grind. Someone who knows how to beat out the systemic biases and discrimination of college life.

Your collegiate experience will be bigger than the degree, the job you may get, that coveted internship, or that business you are thinking about starting. It’s about leveraging your newfound freedom in order to change the narrative of those flawed assumptions about your abilities as a teacher, thinker, and leader of men. From the moment we arrived on the shores of America education has always been the vision we chose as the pathway towards freedom.

The time for your ascent in the ranks of Higher Education is now. Whether you are thinking about entering college, already in college, or looking to finish up that degree you walked away from; the support you need is available.