It’S Time to Wake-Up & Reclaim the Legacy

By Lillie M. Hibbler Ph.D.

The following pages speak of areas that must be changed in order for the African American community to reclaim our legacy, to grow, and to become all we have been designed to be. These topics are some of the toughest we have to deal with, yet they are topics we know we must confront. Truth be told, we can no longer sit and wait for the man to recognize his/her issues and change. Lets be realistic. They have no motivation to change; their lives are comfortable. Would you change your life if it were comfortable? You would not. The motivation for the majority to change society for the minority does not exist. The only way to move ahead and prosper is to put forth energy, to be accountable for our own success, to stop coming up with excuses, and to come up with executable action steps. Take control of your own life, be accountable for your decisions, and be responsible for your family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 23, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984515018

Lillie M. Hibbler Ph.D.

One of my favorite past times is watching football, high school, college and of course pro football. Of vital importance to winning the game, is that when the running back is carrying the ball, headed towards the goal line, with the crowds cheering; if they happen to fall, get tackled, they should fall forward. You see, when you fall forward, youre going to gain yardage and move closer to your objective of winning. African Americans must learn to take risk, to not be afraid of falling. We must determine within ourselves that in the event we fall (and we will) we must move closer to our objectives. Falling backwards takes additional effort and is self-defeating.

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Copyright © 2018 by Lillie M. Hibbler, Ph.D..

Library of Congress Control Number:     2018903593

ISBN:           Hardcover               978-1-9845-1503-2

                     Softcover                 978-1-9845-1502-5   

                     eBook                       978-1-9845-1501-8

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Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

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Rev. date: 03/22/2018

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Dedication

This book is dedicated to my daughters, Randalyn and Treysure.

Randalyn, you have grown so much, and only God knows the great things that He has in store for you. Continue to grow and remember always put God first.

Treysure, you have been through more than any young lady your age should have, but you are doing great, and I know that great things are coming your way.

Seek the Lord, and He shall direct thy path. He will give you the desires of your heart.

Acknowledgment

I would like to acknowledge the guidance and wisdom received from my longtime friend, William C. Bryant. Thanks for always encouraging me to push the limits.

Also, in life, we sometimes encounter someone who gives unselfishly, and that giving keeps us connected to who we are. For me, this person is Mr. Carmine Salerno. Thanks for all the Mary Janes and Squirrel Nut Zippers. Your kindness reminds me of my childhood, which was full of unselfish giving.

Proverbs 20:13

Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

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Contents

Introduction

It’s Time To Wake Up!

Write the Vision

Sleeping in Comfortable Silence

Because I Slept

They Harbored It in Their Souls

Know Who You Are

My Autobiographical Memory

The Old Abandoned House

I Know Who I Am

Banyan Tree

Taken

Genocide

Impressions (Artwork)

Impressions

Slave Songs

Freedom’s Swamp

Tell Me

Created with Purpose

What Happened To Family?

Daddy Was There

You Let Them Live; Now Give Them a Life

Homelessness (Family Units Are No Longer Intact)

It Still Takes a Village

Butterfly

Invisible People

Live Confidently

Watch What You Say

Listen to Understand

Family versus Media

All Alone

Education

We Valued Learning

Teach Your Children

Microaggressions

Pygmalion Effect

Delayed Gratification

There Is a Process

Model Expected Behavior

The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil

Diversity

Watch What You Eat

Fruits, Roots, Nuts, and Berries

Overindulgence

Stigmatization

Risk Stratification

Drink Plenty of Water

Discipline

Order in the Family

Master–Slave Syndrome of Discipline

Parenting Styles

Emotional-Security Theory

Corporal Punishment

Forty Acres And A Mule

The Parable of the Talents

Living among the Catacombs

Living on the Periphery

Live Within Your Means

Blacks and Business Ownership

The Ghetto Is Not Profitable

Reclaiming Our Legacy

Concluding Thoughts

References

Introduction

The African American community has spent over a hundred years complaining about the inhumane treatment they suffered at the hands of the oppressor. The disparities that we suffer, we have often linked to systemic issues brought in by a government that the citizens placed in office. Unfortunately in today’s social, political, and economic environment,— if you ask almost anyone, they would all say the same thing—this country, the world as a whole, is in a mess, and we, as a race of people, are still being oppressed.

The unbelievable election of the forty-fifth president of the United States stunned everyone, including him. However, the election was not the worst part of the elect but the fallout from the election and emergence of hostility beyond the wildest imagination toward any and all ethnic groups. It has been as if a large contingent of people in the United States have been holding their breath, waiting for an excuse to say and do unimaginable things to anyone who disagrees with them. The newly elected president has set about the task of undermining the work of former president Barack Obama and others who have held the highest office in the land. He has entrenched himself with people who are ignorant in regard to the management of government agencies designed to assist people in this country who have been pushed to the periphery of society.

The transition from a government for the people to one that is for the 1 percent has forced us to conclude that the only way for us to survive and prosper is for the majority to take control of their situation and fight back, fight for the resources that will help us reclaim our legacy. We need to take back the health, finances, and well-being of our children, the quality of education and the structure of our communities. Our children should understand and appreciate their heritage. If they do not know their history, they cannot embrace their future. To be successful, we must be participants in life.

Participating in life requires risk taking, opting for the uncomfortable, accepting challenges that we would normally avoid. Let us think for a brief moment. If there was a detour on your normal route home, would you give up and wait until the detour is cleared? Would you go to a hotel and spend unappropriated funds to ride out the detour? No, what you would do is to either follow the detour signs or take a route that you are already familiar with. This is the same manner we must approach our lives. We must stay focused on the mission and vision that we have for our children and ourselves. The detours and roadblocks that we encounter in life must be viewed as opportunities to learn and strategize new processes. They are God’s way of redirecting us to a more beneficial place and His way of keeping us from hurting ourselves or being hurt by others who don’t have a vested interest in our well-being.

We must stop asking for permission to move forward. We should seek forgiveness. No one is going to give you permission to be more successful than they are. They do not want you to get the game-winning touchdown.

One of my favorite pastimes is watching football—high school, college, and, of course, pro. Of vital importance to winning the game is that when the running back is carrying the ball, headed toward the goal line, with the crowds cheering, if they happen to fall or get tackled, they should fall forward. You see, when you fall forward, you are going to gain yardage and move closer to your objective of winning. African Americans must learn to take risks, to not be afraid of falling. We must determine within ourselves that in the event we fall (and we will), we must move closer to our objectives. Falling backward takes additional effort and is self-defeating.

Not only are they told to fall forward, but also, they are told to stretch, to reach as far as possible to place the ball as close to the goal line as possible, sometimes getting the touchdown. This is a lesson for life: to be successful, we too must stretch, push beyond what we can see, even in the process of falling, to achieve what we know is out there. When we play to our greatest strength using our God-given gifts and talents, we will reclaim our legacy.

This book will discuss those actions that we minorities have intertwined into our lives that have caused us to slip back in history and placed us further behind other races in the United States when it comes to education and economics. It is my hope that reading this book will motivate change and move us from sleeping on the job to being change agents in our families and in our communities. I know some will disagree with some of the positions discussed herein; however, if you have a better idea, please feel free to let me know. The purpose of all my literary works is to spark a dialogue for change.

What is explored here are several areas that we, as a race, must regain control of—our health, our family, our economic position, and the quality of the education that we receive. African Americans must remember that what happens is not dependent upon who sits in the White House but who sits upon the throne in heaven. Everything that we need to be successful have been given to us through the grace of God (Jeremiah 29:11–13):

For I know the plans I have for you,

Plans to give you hope and a future.

You will seek Me and find Me

When you seek Me with all your heart.

The following pages speak to areas that must be changed for the African American community to reclaim our legacy, to grow and become all that we have been designed to be. These topics are some of the toughest that we have to deal with, and yet they are topics that we know we must confront. Truth be told, we can no longer sit and wait for the man to recognize his/her issues and change. Let us be realistic. They have no motivation to change; their lives are comfortable. Would you change your life if it was comfortable? You would not. The motivation for the majority to change society for the minority does not exist. The only way to move ahead and prosper is to put forth energy, to be accountable for our own success. Stop coming up with excuses and come up with executable action steps. Take control of your own life, be accountable for your decisions, and be responsible for your family.

SLEEPING ON THE JOB: IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP!

Visions

Job 4:12–13 NIV

12 A word was secretly brought to me. My ears caught a whisper of it

13 Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on people.

Write the Vision

Write the vision and make it plain. These words rang in my mind as I woke from sleep, having dreamt of great destruction and chaos.

My dream was real, starting with a clear day, colors vivid and the warmth of the sun against my skin. All was happy and content, no inclination of a pending destructive force entering our lives. As we walked together, the landscape changed, and mere streams became raging rivers of white water as far as the eye could see, overtaking the lush landscape that once existed. Streams and rivers ran together so that one could not tell the terrain underneath their feet.

In my head, I could hear voices telling me, Walk in the swamp. Look for the debris, for it is there that you can be sure of where you are stepping.

I looked toward the raging waters, and there, treading, trying to get to her family, was a dark child, with long pigtails wiping in the harsh winds.

As I moved to reach her, someone stopped me and said, Leave her alone. Only her family can help her. Save yourself.

I trudged on through the water. Suddenly, I realized that what I had originally thought were sticks floating in the water were small black snakes swimming around those of us trapped in the floodwaters. Picking up a stick, I moved one snake after another away from me while letting others know of the danger of walking in the swamp water. This information filtered from one to another so that we could all be safe.

Then