Customer Reviews

The Covenant with Black America (English and English Edition)

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

As a former corporate and gov't employee, and now chronically (and happily) self employed social entreprenuer who is one of those too rare black women - a wife and mother (of four, by the same father, smile), I may be the oddball out but The Covenant did not meet my expectations - although I congratulate the marketing and motivation that went into it.

First, The Covenant seems like a less well written version of the State of Black America the National Urban League published, and which most people shelved until it was time to research black (American) pathologies. Maybe the intent is to motivate those who aren't aware of the dismal lack of access and fight for opportunity black folks deal with day to day, but those "unaware" can't number more than two, and they can't be black.

Very, very distinguished black achievers participated, and do an excellent job of reiterating American history that continues to undermine black progress. There are also nice examples of efforts people and groups are doing to stem the onslaught of black decline. But the "covenant" gives no sense of whether the examples are endorsed as part of a national action plan that every community should try to implement.

Finally, for me, there are three disturbing elements of The Covenant that can perhaps be addressed to help inspire a movement in the 21st century:

1) It frames black people in America as if we had no successful history before enslavement, before Jim Crow, before the death of affirmative action. To successfully train black children is to put violence against their race as a relatively new construct, not the sum total of existence. Please, have the intellectuals delve a little deeper into the culture that we come from that still makes us strong enough to go on. It is the missing link.

2) The quote "hold all leaders and elected official responsible and demand that they change public policy" was extremely irritating throughout the book - especially given the numbers of black elected officials (who are not necessarily practicing group independence or cultural competence). As I view the futures of the children in our large family, ending our consumer slave culture will have the single largest impact on ALL children's futures than all the policy in the world. Again, it may be my expectations were off base, but I'm extremely disappointed by the continued demands from a gov't that struggles to renew the Voting Rights Act....

3) The Covenent with Black America does not address a critical issue: what value and relevance do native (non-immigrant) black Americans have that would make potential partners want to invest with and in us? How can we improve our communication with newer black immigrants to build international networks for all of our children? I mean really, how many exchange student opportunities are there for black children to see the rest of the world? Again, to me, the emphasis on black people's buying habits can be refocused as we look at how the world is changing. If we define ourselves as a relevant, conscious people committed to excellence, then we open the door to more opportunity for our children beyond our borders. How this could have been missed I don't understand.

Overall, the next edition, which I encourage, should focus on setting goals, like in 2020, 60% of black dollars will circulate internally; teen unemployment will drop by 80%; 75% of black males will be in college; 50% of black children uner 18 will speak two languages... Without targeted goals, many of the suggestions written in this book just seem well intentioned but tired.

As we used to say in Xerox, those who can, do....those who can't, teach. Let's hope the next edition of The Covenant features serious players (many of them unsung) who can share specific strategies, pledge or identify resources and give realistic timelines so we can measure our collective health(mental, spiritual, physical and material). It is only from that prayerful, self respecting culture (code of behavior) that true progress can be sustained, and respected.

This is not--specifically--categorized as self-help. But as one who has extensively researched the phenomenon, I can tell you that it has more to do with genuine self-help--the pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps kind--than anything you're apt to read by Dr. Phil or John Gray. That's because these essays are by people who (a) have the credentials to be expounding on what they're expounding on, and (b) include a fair amount of tactical, actionable information along with the usual motivational component.

Though this is bracketed (explicitly) as a book for minorities, "Americans in general" could do a lot worse than to read Smiley's anthology. And it's a good read, too.

"The Covenant with Black America" should be required reading for all Americans. Whether one agrees with the diagnosis and prescriptions is not the point. The point is to increase dialogue, understanding, and mutual progress.

"The Covenant" includes chapters on healthcare, public education, justice system, policing, housing, politics, rural roots, jobs, environment, and the digital divide. Each chapter outlines the issues from the author's perspective, provides a bio of the author (if this bio were at the front of each chapter, it would be helpful), collates statistics on the topic (a more diverse collation of statistics could increase the impact of the book), shares what the community can do, explains what individuals can do, tells what works now, and describes what leaders and politicians can do (again, further balance here would be beneficial).

"The Covenant" is the brainchild of Tavis Smiley who offers it as a roadmap toward future hope. He brings together a laudable team of experts in their field, though one might wish for greater diversity in political, social, and economic perspectives.

Particularly helpful are the sections on what works now. It's always easy to identify a problem, it's somewhat easy to propose a solution, but it's always helpful to provide examples of currently workable and working models. Smiley follows the "best practices" model of illustrating how to move into the future effectively by describing those who are already successfully doing so.

A chapter on spiritual and religious values, given their historical and current emphasis in the African American community, also would add to the books value. Or, integrating the religious community more fully into the essence of each chapter's discussion would be another way to advance the message of the book.

Not everyone from every political persuasion will agree with the suggested covenants--obviously. However, as the back cover explains, "The Covenant with Black American" is moving beyond talking about "our pain" to talking about "our plan." This is certainly in line with the historic African American focus on moving beyond being a victim to being a victor. Those who may have another socio-economic-political perspective on dealing with issues vital to African Americans (and to all Americans), rather than dismissing a book like this, should engage it; should write their own Covenant with the same specificity of focus, though perhaps with distinctive answers.

The front page quote says it well. "The eyes of the future are looking back at us and they are praying for us to see beyond our own time" (Terry Tempest Williams). "The Covenant" is a forward-looking book. Well aware of the past, grounded in the needs of the present, it details a process that can shape a renewed future for African Americans and all Americans-so we can become one America. As stated at the outset of this review and throughout, one does not need to agree with the diagnosis and prescriptions to understand the importance of the issue, to engage in the ongoing dialogue, and to propose their own amended Covenant.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of the "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction," "Soul Physicians," and "Spiritual Friends."

Right from the days of respectable pacesetters like: Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington, a lot has been written concerning how best Black Americans could advance their own socio-economic welfare. And, I must add that Tavis Smiley did a good job in both his research and preparations before editing this book. It is a well-credited attempt on the part of all the contributors, who participated in the essays that constitute this book. However, there are still a few issues that most modern authors on this topic consistently shy away from. For example, whereas this book did a fantastic job in enumerating and analyzing several problems facing many Black Americans, it fell short in terms of suggesting how best the American government can assist and encourage the self-help efforts of Black Americans. The truth is that the devastating impact of centuries of slavery, plus another hundred years of hardcore racism, lynching, and terrible injustice takes more than a self-help effort to overcome. Any sincere mind would acknowledge that all the manual labors, which translated to contemporary American wealth, power, and success-story, emanated from the ancestors of today's Black Americans. Their sweats, tears, and blood were sacrificed from dawn to dusk, for centuries, with little or no acknowledgement from the very soceity that they lived and died for. Not to mention reward!
But that apart, the efforts of all those who contributed to this fine book remain commendable. Readers of this book will appreciate well-reasoned pieces of advice that abound in it. Every aspect of socio-anthropological progression: including health, education, religion, and psychology were discussed. This book may just be two hundred pages, but its content is a fountain of knowledge and wisdom. It is a very good effort indeed: regardless of its few shortcomings.

I attended the State of the Black Union 2006 and have read my copy of The Covenant with Black America. This is an excellent compilation of data regarding the current plight of African Americans and other Americans who are disenfranchised. It offers practical information for individuals and communities to take political action on the issues. It also offers practical areas where political leaders can make a difference. I recommend this book for all individuals interested in making a better America for all Americans.

Tavis Smiley, the brains behind this fast rising bestseller, brings several popular Afican-American thinkers together. Many of whom are in academia while others work in foundations like the ACLU and Children's Defence Fund. The book is an easy read. Tavis is a master communicator and did well in shaping the overall message and direction of the contributors.

There is much identified in this book that many moderates and consrevatives agree with. no one disagrees that in urban black sittings, black males are more than likely to end up in prison than urban white males. Further, not many would disagree with the assertion that something is wrong with urban schools, particularily those servicing black areas. In addition, many conservatives and libertarians would push further in regards to easying drug laws with notable people (Stossel and Buckley) calling for the decriminalization of drugs.

The differences lie in the solutions, and in this regard, there is very little here that is new and that hasn't been tried. In addition, some statements are asserted as fact without support (odd considering that this book is blitzed with end-notes except on some of the most important assertions).

Some areas in this book I thought extremely interesting. In sections dealing with crime and policing, the book focues on governmental efforts and the perceived un-equal application of criminal justice; however, it dis-regards that many of these policies were implemented to protect urban, poor, black areas. After all, most black crimes are on blacks and law enforcement efforts target those crimes to try and bring saftey to urban black residential areas. I'm not trying to paint a perfect world here, but a little honesty must be revealed. Yes, police departments can better train there officers, but urban families can hold there young men and women accountable, regradless of race.

I found the section on eductaion interesting as well, but not surprising. It is the same old tired solutions, that have been tried in many areas, without much success. More spending is not the answer as studies in certain NE districts have demonstrated. School choice is an option that would benefit all poor and is more in relation to individual freedom. It was nice to see Dr. Gordan mention that "Education starts at home." But this should have been the focus, not the side, because it truly does start at home.

All in all, I found some important points raised, but the solutions pale. There is also an incredible "group think" taking place here as if these problems and solutions are representative of all black culture and lifestyles. I recommend reading such authors as Thomas Sowell, John McWhoter, Larry Elder, and Shelby Steele as well, so that one can have a broader perspective and begin to make real choices on how to solve the problems. Lastly, Cornell West's epilogue lacks any real punch and though I typically disagree with him, I expected at least his usual lively engagement (at which he is very good, his books are engageing).

I'm a black educator and Covenant is a book that I must wrestle with. As an educator, I wanted to see what the Covenant had to say about educational issues and I wanted to see how Covenant tries to go about passing on some lessons in black empowerment.

The book appears to be aimed at a becoming conscious black popular audience. Those who like some of the community empowerment themes of Tom Joyner's nationally syndicated radio show or value their churches' willingness to deal with issues of social justice will find themselves at home in this book. By choosing to call this work a Covenant, Tavis wisely taps into the themes of the black church that will help bring this work to the communities it is intended to serve. We have 10 Commandments in our church. We now have 10 Covenants of social justice to contend with if we take this book to heart. I feel that half of the success of this book is that Tavis didn't label this book "A 10-Point Platform for Empowering Black America". Knowing the media outlets at his disposal, he took on the Big Hairy Audacious Goal of elevating his 10 points into Covenants. Judging by the popular reception this book has received, I applaud Tavis' sheer verve in getting his message heard.

As far as the content itself goes, the Covenant chooses to expose people to an immense scope of issues with its 10 points. For those acquainted with the challenges facing Black America, the choices will be all too familiar: Healthcare, Education, Justice, Policing, Affordable Housing, Voting Rights, Economic Prosperity, Environmental Justice (here Katrina takes center stage), and Technology are heavily discussed points. I was challenged by Covenant VII: "Strengthening Our Rural Roots". I do not often think of the problems of rural America as a specifically black America problem. Farmers of all hues are getting squeezed out by global competition and consolidation into huge agricultural consolidations. Covenant VII will challenge me to think about whether the endangered small farmer is a black problem or a class problem. Covenant VII raises a question in my mind that I hope other readers will go beyond the text and consider: Will we be most effective in gaining ground by solidifying our nationhood and focusing this discussion within black media outlets or building alliances with Latino and other impoverished populations who share some of our struggles as rural laborers?

For me, the statistics cited and introductory essays did not move me as much as some of the examples of "what works now". Learning about successful programs such as "Harlem's Childrens Zone" will give me some role models for educational projects of my own.

I feel this book raises a lot of issues but may be hard to boil down to a concise message that will lead to specific improvements on a national scale. In a lot of ways, my feelings on the Covenant mirror my feelings on Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 documentary: it's a powerful work that will force hundreds of thousands of people to change their worldviews for a while. But how long is that while? And what's the issue of focus? When we have as much to do as the Covenant suggests, I'm left to pray that there is superhuman grassroots leadership talent on the local level to translate rhetoric into programs and action.

Thanks Tavis, and I hope leaders arise to build on popular momentum.

3 stars..but it's hard to get these issues right to popular, academic [heavily footnoted], and political outlets in 250 pages

P.S. -- Now that I think about it, a shorter propaganda-like covenant that cuts out the intellectuals and footnotes might have been stronger provided the web community to support it online was strong. And I should be writing more and putting my actions where my rhetoric is...

--SD

I think the Covenant is a great plan for getting black people to take action. It is a starting point, and hopefully, individuals will use the facts in the book to make a difference in our community. It really does take a multifaceted plan like the Covenant to get us moving in the right direction.
--
Lawrence C. Ross, Jr.
The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities (author)
The Ways of Black Folks: A Year in the Life of a People (author)
Sometimes Rhythm, Sometimes Blues (contributor)
Friends With Benefits (author: September 2005)
www.inglewoodrudeboy.blogspot.com/
http://www.lross.net/

I just completed my read of the Covenant with Black America and I am inspired to do. I will do more in my home, more in my church, more in my neighborhood, more in my community, and more in my country. Although some of the statistics are heartbreaking regarding the current status of Black America, the book gives hope that change is possible and doable. It is required reading for all African-Americans. Carter G. Woodson gave us The Miseducation of the Negro for the 20th Century and Tavis Smiley has given us The Covenant with Black America for the 21st Century.

The Covenant with Black America is a profound literary work that reveals the truths about America and its tenuous relationship with the African-American community. After an introduction by Tavis Smiley, leading authorities cover agendas that should be of major concern to all African-Americans: healthcare, education, employment, environment, etc.

The information included in this book shouldn't be anything you haven't heard before. If you are not familiar with the state of the African-American community as it pertains to issues such as health, wealth, justice, etc..., then you may want to educate yourself by reading this book and others like it. If you have heard some of this before, but only as conjecture, then The Covenant will make it factual by providing the statistical evidence. If this seems like the "I've heard all of this before" sort of talk, then chalk it up as a much needed reminder of the prognosis of a people if nothing is done to aid, educate, and advocate for said people.

Tavis Smiley and others have done a great service to all by publishing this book. This book is a necessity; not only is it intended to provoke thought it is intended to provoke action as well.